...1. Is the nature of crime in our society accurately presented by the media? Discuss. Like every society, Australia has always had its share of criminal activity, from the founding of our country as a penal colony in the 18th century, bushrangers in the 19th century, underworld violence in the 20th century to recent youth violence on our city streets in the 21st century. In this essay, I will be discussing how the media presents crime in Australian society and how this does not necessarily reflect crime statistics. The media presents us with the idea that the majority of crime in Australia is violent, and it is only getting worse. In contrast, statistics show that Australia’s crime rate has remained relatively steady. In fact, most reported crimes are actually non violent, with the majority of crimes actually being property related. It should also be noted that we are exposed to high levels of media coverage on specific types of crime, for example the “Missing White Woman Syndrome” whilst under reporting on similar occurrences that involve males, and females of different culture and social standings. Lastly, I would like to discuss recent television programs such as Underbelly and true crime films that glamorise the criminal sub-culture which in itself causes the media to report even more on Australia’s underworld, violent crimes and infamous criminal cases. The media portrays our crime rate as rapidly escalating, however statistics collected by the Australian Institute...
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...The nature of crime in Australian society is diverse and its occurrence fluctuates over time (Makkai & Prenzler, 2015). This essay will firstly discuss and define the concepts of crime and violence. Secondly, it will define violent crime from a contemporary Australian legal perspective. It will then examine the overall nature of crime in Australia describing its categories and sub categories. Fourthly, the essay will establish the official agencies who collect and collate data that measures the nature and extent of crime in Australia. It will finally use this data and empirical evidence to compare the extent of violent crime with crimes that are non-violent. The essay will ultimately conclude by asserting that the majority of crime in society is not violent in nature. Crime is a complex phenomenon that attracts a variety of definitions (Ransley & Prenzler, 2015). The varying definitions of crime provide broad or limited meanings and are all, to a greater or lesser degree, problematic. This is because crime is socially constructed; thus what is considered a crime, or no longer considered a crime changes over time to comply with the norms, attitudes and expectations existing in society at a given historical period (Brookman, 2005; Howitt, 2012). Violence is also a socially constructed concept that lacks a specific definition (Indermaur, 2000; Papalia, Thomas, Ching & Daffern, 2015), however, in the broadest sense, violence, is typically an action or type of behaviour that...
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...Crime, a Normal Element in the Society Sociologists like Emile Durkheim are more concerned with the study of deviance. Emile Durkheim’s ideas, concepts, and issues are traced, which provides explanations to why he says crime should be considered as a normal element in the society. Functionalism is one of the sociological theories that focus on issues of crime. A functionalist analyzes deviance from a societal point of view rather than the psychological nature of a person or the existing biological explanations. According to Durkheim, crime should be considered as a regular element in the society. He conquered to the consensus and social order of the society about criminal issues (Hawdon, Ryan & Agnich, 2010). His belief was that crime is not an evitable but a typical aspect of social life in different types of societies. He views it as an integral part that ensures the well-being of society. He argues that not all members of a community are equal (Durkheim, 2013). Each is influenced differently according to different circumstances he or she faces. This leads to unequal reluctance in law breaking. Durkheim is a positivist functionalist and clearly points out the reasons for why he says crime should be considered as a regular element in the society. He argues that crime should be regarded as functional and something necessary for a society but not something pathological (Hawdon, Ryan & Agnich, 2010). He says that crime is present in almost every society since each community...
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...higher rate is a great misconception. This is because a person commits a crime not because he is poor but because he is a human being. Certain crimes which respected members of the upper classes of society may commit are often more serious compared to the ones which the poor people commit and they may inflict greater damage on society. Crimes that involve great amounts of money or economic interests, such as bribery and corruption, are among the top crimes that adversely affect the entirety of society. Crimes of this nature are not sufficiently discussed at the academic level or as part of political agenda or debates. No human being or human-made system is free from corruption or fraud. Contrary to the popular belief, corruption, bribery and fraud are not problems specific to economically underdeveloped countries; on the contrary, these crimes are quite widespread in developed Western democracies, particularly in the US. Broadly speaking, these deviant behaviors, defined as “white-collar crimes,” can also referred to as “crimes of the powerful.” It was Edwin Hardin Sutherland, a US social scientist, who first coined this terminology in the literature of sociology and criminology. Crimes committed by individuals may vary depending on their social class es. There are certain significant differences between the petty crimes committed by blue-collar workers from lower social classes and the corruption crimes committed by white-collar workers from higher social classes. First, the...
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...between crime and social class Marxists believe that the capitalist system is just a way in which the ruling classes control and exploit the workers, and it focuses on the unequal conflict between these two sectors of society. Marxists believe that the capitalist system is criminogenic – which means that by its nature it inevitably causes crime. Marxists see crime in the capitalist system as something the ruling class can use to control the working class and crime is a result because of the oppression the working class face. They also believe that laws are enforced mostly to benefit the interests of the ruling class. Neo-Marxists are another branch of Marxism. They discuss more contemporary ideas of crime and their ideas, such as saying crime results out of political anger. They state that the traditional Marxist perspective is too deterministic. Traditional Marxist’s view of crime has 3 key aspects: The Criminogenic capitalism, the state and law making and ideological functions of crime and law. Criminogenic capitalism is the Marxist idea that crime is inevitable because of the nature of capitalism. They believe that because of capitalism as the unequal divide between classes, committing crime is sometimes the only way people can live. For example, a young man who is living in poverty may have to resort to robbery in order to survive. In addition, sometimes the working class may feel frustrated that they are under the control of the ruling class and commit crimes such as...
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...the labyrinth nature of the city which protects the crimes of antagonists and villains. The creation of evil and is association with the city is also influenced by the early Victorian perception of the city and the crimes that occurred in the city. Irene Adler the primary antagonist and villain, in the Arthur Conon Doyle’s “Scandal in Bohemia” (1891), outwits Sherlock Holmes – One of the greatest detectives and brilliant minds in literature to date. The nature in which if she operates, is helped by the nature of the city which encourages, promotes and even hide the criminality and violence....
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...REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 90 OF 2015 (arising out of SLP (Crl.) NO. 5382 of 2014) State of Punjab …..Appellant versus Bawa Singh …..Respondent JUDGMENT M. Y. EQBAL, J. Leave granted. 2. This appeal by special leave is directed against the judgment dated 11.11.2013 passed by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana in Crl. Rev. No. 1789 of 2013 whereby the High Court upheld the conviction of the respondent but 1 Page 1 reduced the period of sentence to the period already undergone. 3. The facts of the case in brief are that a FIR No. 151 dated 31.10.2004 was lodged against the respondent Bawa Singh and his wife Labh Kaur. The complainant Binder Singh alleged that on 30.10.2004 while he was going on his tractor to his fields he saw the respondent with a cycle and carrying a gandasa accompanied by his wife Labh Kaur whereupon he stopped his tractor. The respondent and his wife were alleged to have said that the complainant needed to be taught a lesson and allegedly hit the complainant with the gandasa. The cries of the complainant alerted his father Jangir Singh and his brother Hardev Singh who rushed to the spot whereupon the respondent and his wife fled abandoning the cycle. The complainant alleged that there was a property dispute between the parties. The complainant was admitted to a hospital and his statement was taken only on the next day i.e....
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...Sociology Central Teaching Notes Crime and Deviance 1. Basic Concepts Sociology Central www.sociology.org.uk Crime and Deviance Basic Concepts In this section of the course we will be exploring the nature of conformity to - and deviation from social rules in both our own and other societies. In order to do this, we will initially need to understand a number of basic concepts that we can develop. In more detail at a later point. Before we start to do this, however, it might be useful to briefly map-out the various general areas covered by the syllabus. In this respect, we will be looking at a major aspect of deviant behaviour in our society (crime) and the way such behaviour is associated with various social categories such as: Class Age Gender Ethnicity Locality / Region In simple terms, we need to look at the various explanations of crime and deviance that have been produced by sociologists over the past 100 or so years. The concept of power is a very significant one in relation to the way social rules are created and applied and, for this reason, we need to examine this concept as a means of understanding the nature of social conformity and deviance. A significant aspect of (deviant) behaviour is the reaction of others to that behaviour and, in this respect, we will be particularly concerned with an examination of the role of the mass media in the process of Deviancy Amplification. The concern here will be to outline the role of "official" agencies...
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...Introduction Crimes are part of society and this is the reason why law enforcers come up with different ways for controlling crime. Some of the critical measures for controlling crime are physical while others are psychological. The method of controlling crime is determined by the nature and complexity of the crime. Once these factors are taken into consideration then the best way of controlling crime is sought. The deterrence theory is a theory that has been extensively used as an effective way of controlling crime. The deterrence theory is in two parts: specific deterrence and general deterrence. Specific deterrence tends to focus on the individual with the aim of changing his deviant behavior by punishment. Contrary, general deterrence is whereby an individual is punished in public so as to instill fear to individuals who may prove to be deviant in the future. According to the crimes by Phil Cresta in the United States of America, the deterrence theory is one which would be effective in controlling his criminal nature. The main reason for this notion is his crimes were repetitive. By using deterrence, Cresta would have fear of committing crimes simultaneously and he would finally stop. Therefore, by using deterrence, fear would be instilled in him and this would prevent him from committing the crimes. In Phil Cresta’s case, specific deterrence would not have been as appropriate as general deterrence. General deterrence would have been an appropriate corrective measure...
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...Evaluate the usefulness of Functionalist theories to our understanding of crime and deviance (40 marks) A functionalist analysis of crime and deviance begins with society as a whole. It looks for the source of deviance in the nature of society rather than in the individual. Durkheim argued that crime is an inevitable and normal aspect of social life. Crime is present in all types of society; indeed, the crime rate is higher in the more advanced, industrialised countries. According to Durkheim, crime is an ‘integral part of all healthy societies’. It’s inevitable because not every member of society can be equally committed to the collective sentiments (the shared values and moral beliefs) of society. Since individuals are exposed to different influences and circumstances, it is ‘impossible for all to be alike’. Therefore not everyone is equally reluctant to break the law. Durkheim went on to say that crime isn’t only inevitable, it can also be functional. Durkheim argued that it only becomes dysfunctional (harmful to society) when its rate is unusually high or law. He argued that all social change begins with some form of deviance. In order for change to occur, yesterday’s deviance must become today’s normality. Since a certain amount of change is good for society (so that it can progress rather than stagnate), so is deviance. If the collective sentiments are too strong, there will be little deviance, but neither will there be any change, or progress. Therefore the collective...
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...Social Structure Theory CJA/314 Social Structure Crime and what it means to us today, in order to explain the meaning of crime and the role it plays in society, we must first examine what crime is and what it means to us as individuals, groups, family units, and everything in between. When examining our social structure we must first consider what constitutes right from wrong. We must try and answer the question, is there really such a thing as an absolute right or wrong? If so, who decides what’s right vs. wrong, and can anything we do or say against another be held against us? In order to try and find the answers to these simple questions we must understand the essences of the term crime. According to the dictionary, crime is an act or action of a negligence nature that is deemed harmful or hurtful to the public, be it voluntary or involuntary, as in the case of a drunk driver hitting an innocent bystander could possible end in manslaughter charges being leveled against the drunk driver. Because the drivers actions could have caused serious or even deadly consequences for the victim who was hit while standing on a corner, crossing a street, or on his way home from a long hard day’s work, even if the driver does not leave the scene of the incident, because the action was negligence in nature and could have been detrimental to the victim, this could be considered a crime. Another example of wrongdoing or sinful actions would be that of a person, committing...
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...assess Marxist perspectives on crime and deviance [50 marks] The term defiance covers a wide range of behaviour which deviates from the normal expectations of society and is viewed as ‘wrong’ and ‘bad’ but does not necessarily break the law however, some deviant acts may also be criminal. Crime is any activity that breaks the law of the land and is consequently subject to official punishment. Marx himself wrote very little about crime, but a Marxist theory of crime was first developed by Bonger as early as 1916 and then developed by writers such as Chambliss (1975). The overall background to the Marxist approach to crime was based on the Marxist analysis of society, which argues that society is best understood by examining the process by which the majority of the population are exploited by the owners and controllers of commerce and industry. The traditional Marxist approach to crime and deviance argues that the fundamental fact of exploitation provides the key to unlock the explanations for the workings of society. The beginning of the Marxist analysis is that all laws are essentially for the benefit of the bourgeoisie, and that criminal law reflects their interests. For example, property ownership laws largely concern those with significant amounts of property i.e. the ruling class. For those who are poor, there is little to steal. Personal violence is a dangerous act and the ruling class wants to control the right to use violence within society through their agents of control...
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...Past Crime and Deviance Questions Sept 2008 Read Item A below and answer the question that follows. ------------------------------------------------- Item A ------------------------------------------------- Situational crime prevention (SCP) involves intervening in the immediate situations in which crime takes place to reduce its likelihood or seriousness. It often involves ‘designing crime out’ of products, services and environments, for example by use of anti-climb paint, CCTV and security guards in shops, better street lighting, metal detectors at airports, neighbourhood watch schemes and the re-designing of housing estates. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- SCP does not rely on intervening in children’s socialisation to prevent them becoming criminals later, or on the threat of punishments to deter current criminals. Instead, it makes specific changes aimed at influencing the decision or ability of offenders to commit particular crimes in particular situations. Like rational choice theory, SCP sees criminals as acting rationally. By making certain crimes less rewarding, more risky or needing greater effort, SCP makes criminals less likely to choose to commit them. 02 Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the usefulness of conflict theories for an understanding of crime and deviance in contemporary society. (21 marks) Jan 2010 Read Item A below and answer the question that follows...
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...control and exploit the workers (the proletariat), and it focuses on the unequal conflict between these two sectors of society. Marxists believe that the capitalist system is criminogenic – which means that by its nature it inevitably causes crime. As item B states, Marxists see crime in the capitalist system as ‘a tool of the ruling class’ where they can control the working class and crime is an unavoidable result because of the oppression the working class are subject to. They also believe that laws are enforced mostly to benefit the interests of the ruling class. (An example of this is 80% of laws exist to protect private property.) NeoMarxists (also known as critical criminology) are another branch of Marxism which was established in the 1970s. They discuss more contemporary ideas of crime and their ideas, such as saying crime results out of political anger. They note that the traditional Marxist perspective is too deterministic and try to implement an element of free will in their theory. Traditional Marxist’s view of crime has 3 key aspects: The Criminogenic capitalism, the state and law making and ideological functions of crime and law. As previously stated, criminogenic capitalism is the Marxist idea that crime is inevitable because of the nature of capitalism. They believe that because of capitalism as the unequal divide between classes, committing crime is sometimes the only way people can live. For example, a young woman who is living in poverty may have to resort to...
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...The Criminal Justice System in Modern Day Society According to Schmalleger (2015) the American experience with crime during the last half century has been especially influential in shaping the criminal justice system of today. Crime is defined as “conduct in violation of the criminal laws of the state, the federal government, or a local jurisdiction, for which there is no legally acceptable justification or excuse,” (Schmalleger, 2015). Therefore, what constitutes a crime is regulated by local, state and federal laws. Moreover, what is deemed a crime in one state may not be a crime in another state; this is because each unit of government is charged with defining what is classified as a crime within that particular jurisdiction. Likewise, each governmental agency is responsible for the detection and subsequent prosecution of crimes that are committed. Society determines which acts are criminal by using two models known respectively as the consensus model and the conflict model. Schmalleger (2015) suggest that the consensus model is based on majority of the people within a society sharing the same values and beliefs. This group of people determined what is considered right and what is considered wrong. If a member of the groups acts in opposition of the agreed upon norms, and the act threatens the safety of well being of the group, the act is considered illegal and therefore is subject to reprimand. The conflict model seems to suggest that criminal acts are...
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