intro to crime
Crime as a complex and contested concept
Introduction
Crime is a complex and contested concept which will be examined through different definitions to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of collected information about crime and how it affects the way society receives information on crime. This essay will discuss crime to determine why it is contested and received in such a broad category and how interpretations and misrepresentations of crime can make and change society’s views on crime.
Crime as a contested concept
Through different definitions of crime it could be noted that crime is “ubiquitous as being everywhere and affecting everyone”(White and Perrone 2009 p39) looking at crime this way shows that this concept of crime can be so problematic because it varies in definition to everyone. Crime can be seen as any act or omission that can be punished by law (Weatherburn 2011). It may also be seen to be linked to morality, with what can be viewed as right and wrong or downright criminal which is identified different from society (White and Perrone 2009). Relating to religion crime could be defined as an act against God, and can be seen through the holy books or what is recognized as against God’s will (Morrison 2009). Amoung these views there is a perspective that considers crime as irrelevant and that it is only linked to social control mechanisms. This view argues that crime is not the concept, deviance is and our society should consider the study of sociological deviance rather than criminology (Morrison 2009).
In society it is seen that these social rules form which define situations and their different kinds of behavior that are appropriate to them, they specify actions amongst these perspectives of crime as being put in to the ‘right’ category and forbidding other actions of the ‘wrong’ category (Becker 1963). Although each view of crime has a place in society where it is valued and respected if the crime is against morality, what is right
Introduction
Crime is a complex and contested concept which will be examined through different definitions to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of collected information about crime and how it affects the way society receives information on crime. This essay will discuss crime to determine why it is contested and received in such a broad category and how interpretations and misrepresentations of crime can make and change society’s views on crime.
Crime as a contested concept
Through different definitions of crime it could be noted that crime is “ubiquitous as being everywhere and affecting everyone”(White and Perrone 2009 p39) looking at crime this way shows that this concept of crime can be so problematic because it varies in definition to everyone. Crime can be seen as any act or omission that can be punished by law (Weatherburn 2011). It may also be seen to be linked to morality, with what can be viewed as right and wrong or downright criminal which is identified different from society (White and Perrone 2009). Relating to religion crime could be defined as an act against God, and can be seen through the holy books or what is recognized as against God’s will (Morrison 2009). Amoung these views there is a perspective that considers crime as irrelevant and that it is only linked to social control mechanisms. This view argues that crime is not the concept, deviance is and our society should consider the study of sociological deviance rather than criminology (Morrison 2009).
In society it is seen that these social rules form which define situations and their different kinds of behavior that are appropriate to them, they specify actions amongst these perspectives of crime as being put in to the ‘right’ category and forbidding other actions of the ‘wrong’ category (Becker 1963). Although each view of crime has a place in society where it is valued and respected if the crime is against morality, what is right