Assess the view that crime is functional, inevitable and normal
Assess the view that crime is functional, inevitable and normal Durkeim (1982) argued that society was based on a set of shared values that guide our actions and this was called the collective conscience. Society has many norms, values and regulation which are there in order to maintain a stable society. Nevertheless these norms and regulations are broken through criminal and deviant acts. Although society perceives such actions as law breaking and immoral, Durkeim argues that there is a positive side to crime. 'Imagine a society of saints, a perfect cloister of exemplary individuals. Crimes properly so called, will there be unknown; but faults which appear venial to the layman will create there the same scandal that the ordinary offence does in ordinary consciousness. If, then, this society has the power to judge and punish, it will define these acts as criminal and will treat them as such.' His idea of crime being a positive aspect to society is based around the idea that people are unclear of the boundaries as they change over time. Durkeim discussed three elements of this positivist aspect. He believed that crime is a universal feature of all societies as it serves a vital social function. Through the punishment of offenders the moral boundaries of a community are clearly marked out, and attachment to them is reinforced. The purpose of punishment is not deterrence,
Assess the view that crime is functional, inevitable, and normal
Asses the view that crime is functional inevitable and normal Crime can be functional in bringing about social change - when social norms are unsuited with the conditions of life. A high crime rate is an indication of a social system that has failed to adapt to change. Deviance, acts as a warning device, indicating that an aspect of society is malfunctioning. Deviance may also act as a safety valve - a relatively harmless expression of discontent. For example the invasion of the House of Commons, would be a warning device to society relating to security issues. Durkheim argues that some crime is inevitable, but only in some societies, the crime rate may become too much and, this indicates a society that is intolerable, which means that it is suffering from social disorganisation. However, Durkheim does not provide any indication of what a 'normal' crime rate might be. While regarding a certain rate of crime as a normal unavoidable feature of society, also Durkheim was aware that particular societies might be in a suffering condition, which generates excessive deviance. This leads into the area of anomie and the work of Robert Merton. Durkheim argues that crime can have a positively beneficial role in social evolution. Individuals, who anticipate necessary adjustments of social morality to changing conditions, may be stigmatised as criminals at first. Despite Durkheim's
"Official statistics on crime give an account of crime as opposed to a count of crime." Evaluate this statement using examples to illustrate your answer.
CRI101 Introduction to Criminology Assignment 2: Essay Tutor: Nicola Groves "Official statistics on crime give an account of crime as opposed to a count of crime." Evaluate this statement using examples to illustrate your answer. Student: Jennifer Gartland Student ID: 032805136 70% The Official statistics of crime have been compiled by the Home Office from police and court records since 1876 (Maguire 2002, p. 334). These statistics have for some time been the dominant measure of crime. They have been used by the media, politicians, policy makers and academics to make judgements about society (Jupp et al 2000, p.58). Crime trends have been identified and new legislations and practices have been put in place as a direct result of these statistics. The Official Statistics have shown a continual increase since they commenced, with around 100 thousand crimes recorded in its first year and with around 5.2 million recorded in recent years. The major increase occurring from the late 1950s to 1992 when the 'crime rate' hit its peak. Why has there been such a dramatic increase in crimes? Are the Official Statistics an accurate measure of crime? And can we solely rely on these statistics to form judgements about our society? This essay will address these questions, investigating the reliability of the Official Statistics and identify changes and other sources of
public law
PART I: INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL ANALYSIS Introduction The passing of public law 105-301, "Crime Victims with Disabilities Awareness Act", in 1998 directly led to research on the details of crime victims with disabilities. That research was to be included in the Bureau of Justice Statistics in its annual National Crime Victims Survey. However, the research resulted in its own publication: "Crime Victims with Developmental Disabilities: Report of a Workshop." It was written by the Committee on Law and Justice in the Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education of the National Research Council. There was no study done, but a group of researchers, specialists, and advocates came together to analyze existing data and the extent of the problem. The results of the workshop by the National Academy of Sciences emerged in 1999 with the Crime Victims with developmental Disabilities: Report of a Workshop by the committee on Law and Justice. In the following pages, there will be an analysis of the social problem (crime victims with disabilities) which led to the policy enactment. In that section there will be an explanation of how other research policies were developed and their success in solving and understanding problems. In a later section, the goals, implementation and provisions of the legislation will be explained. Finally, there will be an explanation of how
Use Sources F and G, and your own knowledge, to explain how the police tried to catch Jack the Ripper.
Jack The Ripper Sources Coursework 4) Study Sources F and G Use Sources F and G, and your own knowledge, to explain how the police tried to catch Jack the Ripper. There were many ways in which the police tried to catch Jack the Ripper. As Jack the Ripper was never caught, unfortunately, many of their techniques were flawed. Firstly, leaflets, (source F), were posted through people's doors (in the East End) after the first two murders. These were to encourage people to come forward and put people's names who were believed to be suspicious. There were however many short comings in this. Many people in the East End were illiterate, and consequently the leaflets made no impact on them at all. In addition, there were problems even if the people could read. The leaflet itself was very general. "Should you know of any person to whom suspicion is attached..." It is very universal. To some people, a non-Englishman would have been the most suspicious of all. People did not want to believe that a person of their own kind would commit such crimes, and therefore found foreigners suspicious. They would have gone along to the nearest police station and made their suspicions known. A catalyst for this could have been the description given in source D. She mentions the last person seen with the victim looked like a foreigner. "He looked to me like a foreigner..." This also brought out old
What is a gang?
What is a gang? A gang is a combination of people who regard themselves as a family therefore, who are committed as one unit. In addition there is all kind of gang to intend to break the law regularly using their inacceptable behavior and also there are other gangs who hang around in the streets, the park or even at the shopping centre. Furthermore, Youth gangs are variously defined in the social science and criminal justice literature. Youth gangs are bound by a common ethnicity, race, social class, or other determinant and employ distinctive symbols, including style and color of dress, hand signs, tattoos, and graffiti. Loyal gang members follow a gang-defined system of rules, rituals, and codes of behavior. Gangs serve some individuals as a substitute family structure. Membership imparts a sense of empowerment as members act together to defend territory and provide mutual protection. Youth gangs typically engage in delinquent, criminal, and violent activities, often for financial gain. Why do many people find gangs really disrespectful? Gangs can be violent, vicious and also vehement. Gangs are violent because using or involving physical force intends to hurt, damage, or kill people or something: “A violent confrontation with riot police”, vicious because it’s probably like deliberately cruel or violent and also gangs can be vehement, this is because showing
Why were the police unable to catch Jack the ripper?
Shane Lightfoot Why were the police unable to catch Jack the ripper? There are many factors and possible reasons to why the police were unable to catch Jack the Ripper. The Ripper is thought to have been very clever in the way that he manipulated the fact that there were two police forces around in this time, both in direct competition with each other. Jack the Ripper was thought to be a resident in London, the general public and the press wasted time with false leads, hoax letters and red herrings. There were very little clues, Jack the Ripper was very careful about what he did and left no leads for the police to follow up. There was never any one description of the killer; each witness gives a different description as to how they saw him. The Ripper struck at random and there was no connection established between him and his victim. The police and the CID were still in their infancy after just being founded, they had little or no experience with serial killers as the ripper was the first one, and the killer was took quick for beginners. The press played a very big part in the fact that the police were unable to catch the Ripper. They made up many hoax letters to publish in their papers and they sent these to the police. Time was wasted following up false leads mentioned in the hoax letters. The police could have been following up other leads and checking out other pieces
Youth Crime
Youth Crime 'There are many calls for more 'law and order,' for tougher sentences and more control. These are made despite all the evidence concerning the ineffectiveness of imprisonment. Calls for tougher sentences tend to only deal with crime as an illegal act and ignore the fact that it is but a symptom, which has its roots in deeper social tensions and problems'. It could be suggested that there are many reasons why people commit crime so the aim of this assignment will research, analyse and comment on youth crime. Moore (2002) suggests prisons have three main aims one being to punish individuals for committing crimes whether against another person or against society. Supporters of prisons believe inmates should be treated harshly by having to live in poor conditions and not given any respect from those in authority. According to this argument 'those who commit crime lose their rights to be treated as individuals.' (Moore, 2002 pg. 294). However, critics feel strongly that instead of reforming people it actually turns them into hardened criminals. Ex convicts find it difficult to re- integrate back into society as obtaining a job is virtually impossible, therefore, no job, and no money leads on to frustration, anger and then on to further crime. The second reason for prisons is that of containment. It is felt that by detaining people and excluding them from
