A Classical View - Why Do People Commit Crimes?

A Classical View: Why Do People Commit Crimes?

People commit crimes because that is what they want to do. Criminal behavior is a matter of choices. Today, there are many excuses cloaked as reasons for criminal behavior. The misguided nature of these assertions has a serious impact upon crime control strategies. The classical approach to crime control strategies deals with direct intervention tactics. Law enforcement, within this rubric, takes an aggressive posture toward criminal acts. The delayed tactics of a reactionary position is relegated to the illusion of rehabilitation. In the classical view, deviance and crime are addressed in a proactive manner. This strives to be consistent with both legal and social aspects of constraint. Deviant behavior in the form of criminal activity must necessitate a punitive approach to behavior. Such an approach must come with speed, precision and certainty. For control sanctions to work, the systems of justice must work decisively. The attendant criminal justice systems must be capable of deploying the necessary resources. From an historic perspective, the classical school of criminology is often overlooked as a viable crime prevention strategy.

All available scientific, forensic and technical resources should press full force behind a more classical approach to criminology. This effort should be applied within the context of modern times. Following a doctrine of "psychological hedonism", the classical approach holds that people choose freely among alternatives of behavior. In this view, the perpetrator plans his or her criminal behavior before carrying out his or her actions. The individual creates the basis for their departure from socially, morally or legally sanctioned aspects of behavior. A person calculates the "pain versus the pleasure of an act", or the gain minus the risk of doing a certain thing. Not unlike the rest of us, the perpetrator carries out his or her conduct as a result of personal calculations. Such acts of deviance stem from the pleasure being greater than the risk. In other words, they want to take something that someone else has. Criminals want the shortest distance between two points. The implication of the doctrine is that the societal reaction to crime should be the administration of a measured amount of pain. The general proposition of the classical school is that it is necessary to make undesirable acts painful. Attaching punishment is crucial to making an impact on behavior. Likewise, punishment requires re-education, so that criminals learn through painful costly consequence such behavior is counterproductive.

Accountability and responsibility are attached in definite ways, so the perceived loss will exceed the gain. Since the punishment must be one that can be calculated, it must be the same for all individuals. No one is excused regardless of age, mentality, social or economic status, political influence or other self-indulgent conditions. People are held in absolute accountability to the actions they choose. Deterrence and moral retribution replace rehabilitation. Preventing criminal behavior before it happens is part of the overall strategy of crime control objectives. This perspective presupposes that people will take advantage of opportunities. Since people freely decide their course of conduct, rapid societal interdiction is necessary. A concept of "free-will" criminology is necessary to ensure society does not disintegrate due to an obsession with behavioral excuses. Behavior is influenced by a decision-making process that relies on consequences. As such, so is criminal behavior.

The motivation to commit acts of criminal behavior relate to basic internal desires of control, dominance, anger, revenge and display of personally perceived inadequacy. A quadrangle of self-motivated thinking transpires. Desire, opportunity, ability and gain merge to formulate the strategy of motivation. A multi-dimensional realm within the mind transforms into an outer expression of exploitation. As such, our crime control strategies and tactics must consider the inherent motivation of the criminal. The inherent motivation is the subjugation of another person for personal gain. Approaches based on hasty generalizations and politically correct agendas are counterproductive to the health, safety and welfare of the community. We must consider what the individual criminal is like. He or she is not much different than the rest of us. Except that the criminal prefers "the short cut" in stead of the legitimate way of doing things. Forget about the pseudo-scientific approaches that come up with impressive labels and complex diagnoses. And, forget about the short-term fads or fetishes of quick fixes for long-term problems. Fancy theoretical constructs do not solve crime. Instead, determined and dedicated hard working police officers do. They are the ones who solve criminal behavior issues affecting society. They do this through the collective interaction of public support and involvement. Not by politicians, media hype, fad or fiction.

People commit crimes as part of a selfish desire to get something for nothing. Their "private logic" focuses on their alleged "suffering" at the hands of an insensitive and cruel world. They selfishly desire to take advantage of opportunities, exploit their prurient interests, and assert their abilities. All this is done based on their individual capabilities to get what they think is rightfully theirs. The criminal is not a victim of society. Neither is he or she forced into a position of disadvantage by others. Criminals refuse to accept responsibility and accountability for their behavior. When caught, they are quick to puppet excuses the social sciences, the media and politicians have preconceived for them. Criminals develop their thinking processes on the basis of "being owed" something. His or her behavior becomes connected to what they believe is "entitlement".

Personal choice dominates the motives of individual actions. We think, we fantasize and we act according to our underlying belief system. Through a process of rational conscious thought, we select the temptations of preference. Regardless of what comes into us from external sources, we pick what we want. We employ our learning history to do things we conjure in our own minds. Such is the rational process by which we pick and select the course of action we take. In a kind of "economic view" of the world, people balance the risks, or the costs, involved in doing a certain act. Upon validation that the "benefit" outweighs the cost, we decide to act. Then again, we might decide not to act. Crime, in a sense, holds a seductive quality and grips our attention. We are mesmerized by the darkness in the balance between good and evil. Good and evil is simply picture thinking about the scope of human nature. For some, crime pays, until caught. At the very least, we calculate a "pain versus pleasure" reality.

References:

1. Jeffery, C. R., Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, (Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1971), page 24;

2. Samenow, E. S., Inside the Criminal Mind, (New York: Crown Business, 1984), pgs. 20-22;

3. Schmalleger, F., Criminology Today - An Integrative Introduction - Fourth Edition, (Upper Saddle River: Pearson-Prentice Hall, 2006), page 118-119;

Biographical Sketch of Randy Gonzalez

P.O. Box 19162
Sarasota, Florida 34276
941-915-8998
http://www.drgonzo.org
http://www.myspace.com/cryptocriminology

Randy Gonzalez has been an active member in the criminal justice field for the past 32 years. As a police officer, deputy sheriff and police instructor, he's taught and written on various criminal justice issues. Dr. Gonzalez is a former police chief. And, as a police academy director, he was responsible for basic recruit training, as well as career development courses for in-service law enforcement personnel. Dr. Gonzalez also serves as an adjunct professor of criminology on the faculties of a state university, community college, private university and local technical institute. He serves as an educational consultant to schools and colleges on matters of law enforcement education.

Dr. Gonzalez holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in Criminology, an M.P.A. degree in Public Administration, a Ph.D. in Philosophy. As well as law enforcement instructor certificates. He's a member of various professional organizations and writers groups.

The Job of the Sex Crime Attorney is Not Glamorous

Sex crimes usually make all the media outlets. Proof to show the seriousness of the matter and the way it affects people. If someone has been accused of such a crime, it is common for the public to ignore their rights. But in spite of the damage they cause to their victims and the impact they have on society as a whole, they still have rights to uphold in a court of law. This is when an experienced sex crime attorney is needed.

In light of the sensitive nature of this article, specific terms cannot be mentioned. But in general terms a sex crime is defined as an illegal sex act or illegal form of sexual behavior. If the accused is convicted, then for the rest of their life they will be categorized as a sex offender. With this classification go many things. All the more reason it is necessary to hire a knowledgeable and experienced sex crime attorney to handle cases such as this.

Using the state of Texas as an example, all sex offenders are required by state law to be on the Sex Offenders Registry for an unspecified amount of time. At the time of this writing, the amount of time usually leads to the point a person's conviction has been overturned which is rare or when they die. Even if a person's conviction of a this crime is overturned, removing their name from the sex offenders list can be difficult.

Once a person is listed on the Sex Offenders Registry, their crime is now something the public can access. Clearly stated, this means that neighbors, present and future employers, landlords, educational facilities, financial institutions along with every private citizen will have access to this personal information. This will include, but is not limited to their name, the crime they were convicted of, their address, and name of employer.

Employing an experienced and knowledgeable sex crime attorney is the best way to ensure all is handled appropriately. A sex crime conviction is a life altering conviction that affects both the accused and their victims. There are no minor sex crimes, just sex crimes. Though the sex crime attorney has the unenviable position of defending people of committing such a crime, it is their responsibility to ensure that these cases are handled efficiently and justly.

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The Media and Crime

Journalism and crime maintain an interesting relationship. Each relies on the other to survive and, in some cases, thrive. Media organizations regularly report on crime and often maintain dedicated "beats" or circuits that a particular journalist would be responsible for, such as the courts. Criminals on the other hand use the media for their own purposes as well. In some cases, criminals may be trying to get publicity, either for themselves or a specific cause. In other cases they may use the media to taunt the police. What cannot be denied is the relationship between the two. Yet, how is that relationship to be defined? What laws govern it and where does one, either the journalist or the criminal, draw the line?

Among the dynamic's various manifestations is the journalist's source. For as long as journalism has been a profession journalists have had to rely on "anonymous" tips from people for their information. These sources have been integral to the uncovering of a variety of crimes and sometimes, if not often, these people have been criminals themselves. Essentially, journalistic sources are no less different in role or function than police informants and as such, they are often accorded the same degree of protection by the media as an informant would be accorded by the police. This is all well and good as this system helps to encourage people to speak out without fear of persecution and we would probably see many more crimes and scandals simply swept under the carpet if not for it. However, there is another side to the coin which brings me to the crux of my discussion here. When, in fact, does this marriage of convenience between journalist and criminal break the rules? When does journalistic integrity become lost?

With the FIFA World Cup fast approaching this year, the media has been inundated with stories that have sought to highlight, sensationalise or refute the issue of crime in South Africa. There is has been one recent case in particular that has caught the public's attention though. e.TV, a South African broadcaster, aired a news segment on the attitudes of local criminals to the tougher police stance on crime as well as any possible criminal opportunities during the World Cup. The two interviewed criminals vowed to continue perpetrating violent crime on people during the showpiece event with particular attention being given to foreign tourists. They also showed contempt for the police's hard new approach and vowed to shoot any officers attempting to arrest them. The segment sparked an outcry with the police demanding that e.TV hand over the identities of the criminals interviewed. The station refused to do so and two journalists have now been subpoenaed to reveal their sources. The journalists claim that they cannot disclose the identities of their sources as it would compromise their journalistic integrity. Strictly speaking, this seems a fair point to make, but soon fades as the situation gets further complicated.

On Tuesday, the 19th of January 2010, the police found a body with a suicide note and biographical information on one of the e.TV journalists. The man had been poisoned. The note as well as the biographical information has led the police to allege that the body is in fact one of the interviewed criminals. According to unconfirmed radio reports on the day, the man allegedly blamed e.TV for ruining his life and decided to end it and this is where issues of journalistic integrity become more complicated for me. Was e.TV right to protect their sources? My answer is yes. However, what of the decision to air such a segment in the first place? I have to say no. It was a bad decision. Such a segment only served to sensationalise the realities of crime in South Africa. It was pure TV in that the only good it did was possibly increasing the station's ratings. However, the segment ended up turning the police against the station not to mention public opinion. Finally, it led to the unnecessary death of a human being.

Essentially, this man, though criminal he may be, was sacrificed on the media alter of hits, ratings and sales and that is the very anti-thesis of journalist integrity. We in the media are encouraged to use all elements of society, be they criminal or not, to pursue stories for the greater good of the public and so we should. However, when that line gets blurred in the pursuit of sensationalism and money we have to ask ourselves, what line am I willing to cross and, more importantly, who will get hurt by this story. There are very few stories worth sacrificing lives for and this was not one of them.

Claudio Caldeira is the Head Editor of Crime Out Loud.

Crime Out Loud is a community based website in which we invite the public to express their experiences with crime. Our intention is to raise awareness levels and we're committed to making a difference in the battle against crime.

http://www.crimeoutloud.com

Crime and Punishment

All through the ages, the same scenario is repeated: somebody committed a crime, hurt by it somebody else and then he is punished for it, whereas the both of them suffer - both the victim and the criminal.

As it is known, a violence - crime and punishment in given case - begets another violence. And this sizable scenario does not solve the always-repeating cycle of crime and punishment at all.

Let the law-makers and various impersonators and executors of imperfect and to my opinion wrong human "justice" realize, that the Right and Justify Court over each crime should consist of the following:

1. The judging of the convicted.

2. The judging of the bad spirit who forced the convicted to commit a crime (crimes are always committed - through people - by evil spirits).

3. The judging of him who sent the bad spirit to force the convicted to commit a crime = the judging of the highest bad spirits.

4. The judging of the God for ordering the highest bad spirits to send the bad spirit to force the convicted to commit a crime.

5. The judging of the Highest Universal Might for ordering the God to order that the highest bad spirits.

6. The sentence and affranchise of all.

This only right court would make the only right verdict regardless of what crime it would deal with! - and that would be this one: "All are convicted and are not convicted, all are found guilty and affranchised." This from the reason that anything is linked with everything and anything is the result of all the other and so are all the crimes.

As for the solution to crimes in human society, I know three ways of atonement:

1) The only fully efficient one, although to my dismay unrealisable, is a way back through the time and prevention of the crime.

2) The temporary and only partial atonement of the crime is the increase of happiness in another life of the victim's soul.

3) A real solution for our future is the cancellation of the alternating of excessive good and excessive evil (since every of these two opposites forces it's own opposite to come to existence = excessive good forces excessive evil like it's opposite to occur and excessive evil beget not only excessive good like it's opposite but also another excessive evil to be repeated itself) or the interruption of our Karma = a change and a reshuffle of the way by which we all exist - of the whole human society in the way that no crimes would be committed in it any more.

I am the author of free ebooks on spiritual knowledge, martial arts and dogs. To learn more on the subject that I am writing about, please visit [http://www.pkfreebooks.net/].

The Importance of a 3D Laser Scan to Crime Scene Investigations

In popular television dramas, crime scenes routinely leave investigators baffled about what happened and how. Evidence is overlooked, lost or misplaced, and the killer seems destined to get away. Then, just when you least expect it, serendipity or an ingenious plan brings him to justice. In crime dramas, a killer's fate is at the mercy of a screenwriter. But in real life, criminal investigators are at the mercy of their investigative methods when searching for a killer. Evidence lost, misplaced or overlooked? When these things happen in reality, a killer can get away or, even if he's caught, can escape prosecution.

So, what causes lousy investigative work? Some would say lousy investigators. But, while investigators' talent and dedication play a role in solving crimes, so do the methods that they use to gather crime scene evidence, some of which have drawbacks. For example, when investigators a murder scene, they usually have a short amount of time to chronicle each of its aspects that seem important to the crime, which they accomplish by taking photographs and making notes, each of which relies on the subjectivity of the investigator, and neither of which is conducive to faithfully recreating how a crime may have occurred.

As a result of these drawbacks, many police departments now use the power of a 3D laser scan in their crime scene investigations. Unlike traditional evidence gathering techniques, performing a 3D laser scan results in the collection of a crime scene's total physical characteristics, even the presence of small objects, blood spatter, and bullet holes. Once the scanner completes its scanning, which often takes as little as a few minutes, the scan data is tuned into computer files that allow investigators to review the aspects of a crime scene again and again, even allowing for the judgment of bullet trajectory, blood spatter trajectory, and the creation of digital videos that recreate how a crime may have occurred based on crime scene evidence.

3D laser scanning-also known as 3D laser surveying and laser surveying-allows investigators to collect flawless data from a crime scene and repurpose it in a variety of ways. But it also offers advantages that are less technical in nature. One additional advantage offered by laser scanning is its ability to preserve evidence for later retrieval in the event that a case goes cold, is closed and is then reopened. A second additional advantage offered by laser scanning is its ability to serve as a valuable tool for jury persuasion in terms of recreation videos. Instead of describing tedious details or using a 2D display board, prosecutors show juries how a crime happened in 3D motion.

In my research on 3D laser surveying, I've studied the value of laser surveying to crime scene investigative work.

How to Properly Deal With Crime in Society

Last year, as a criminal law student, I discovered that crime rates depend very much on the social structure of a country. According to compilations in Jamaica you usually have lower crime rates in rural, prosperous areas as opposed to the poorer, more violent districts of bigger towns. Efforts to reduce these rates aim at the root of these problems (poverty, poor schooling, joblessness), curing just the effects get only short term results. This means that sooner of later, the Jamaican government will need to take the economic incentives out of crime. Remove the excuses -- addiction, poor upbringing, discrimination. Hold individuals responsible for crimes --- do not excuse criminals because they belong to a group that are most frequently victimized.

Focus on other means of crime deterrence such as the induction of more police officers on the streets. They need to get into the more impetuous communities and establish a strong street presence. Make it OK for people to talk to law enforcement without fear or any reservations. Also there are other things that police can do to depreciate crime such as increased patrols of high crime areas; however this takes money and manpower that some municipalities might not currently have. The police street presence is still very imperative though. This is done in the United Kingdom and polls have shown that people feel much safer in volatile areas when the police officers are around.

On the other hand, many countries have used gun control as a means of reducing crime. The fact is, this does not work and the government should seriously consider the repercussions before initiating this method. Chicago has a handgun ban and as of this past summer the murder rate was 18% higher than last year. In Britain use of handguns to commit crimes rose 40% two years following the total ban on guns. It would seem that criminals prefer that their victims be unarmed and unable to resist. The old saying is true. "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns".

Finally, statistical, economic, and operations Research Studies have shown that criminals are "economically rational', i.e. they seek the best payoff for the least cost(risk of getting caught and doing time). In order to ameliorate this, many politicians have suggested prolonged prison sentences for even less serious crimes. I disagree with this notion, Prisons are overcrowded and since a very high percentage of persons are incarcerated as a result of non-violent drug crimes, we may want to reconsider putting people in prison for victimless crimes.

They need to try harder rehabilitating criminals. The best way to prevent crime is to get more anti-drug programs; in other words, make it easier for people to get off their drug habits. A couple of months in rehab is a lot cheaper than 10 years in prison.

Sashakay Fairclough LLB
LLM Law Student
London, England

Sashakay Fairclough is a 21 year old law graduate who is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Corporate Law. At University, she is a Student Council President and is very active in Student Governance.

Requirements For Crime Scene Investigator Jobs

Crime scene investigator jobs have become a popular career choice today due partly to more people being influenced by watching CSI television programs. Although the TV portrayal of crime investigators is not exactly true it is an exciting and rewarding career choice. Crime scene investigators spend most of their work hours assessing, processing and packaging collected evidence from crime scenes. They also photograph autopsies and are involved with briefings and conferences with police departments. When they are not doing these tasks they are preparing reports, maintaining equipment, teaching classes and testifying in a court of law.

When working in investigators jobs, their responsibilities can be very complex and diverse. They are the professionals who are accountable for evaluating the crime scene initially. They must use different types of equipment for cultivating, securing and packaging the evidence that is found. Reports are written that detail all the observations and activities that take place at the scene, which are later given to the police department or law enforcement officials who are in charge of the investigation. They may be called to testify in a court of law regarding their crime scene findings and other details that were performed at the initial scene investigation.

There are certain requirements that must be meant to apply for a position as an investigator. Work hours for crime scene investigator jobs usually require a 40 hour work week with week-ends off, but they must be on standby duty every other week in the event that they are needed after hours. They must also be available at all times by phone to respond quickly if they are needed for assistance. Another requirement of crime investigator jobs is having the physical stamina that this job often calls for. With all the physical demands that are often required such as stooping, kneeling, carrying heavy objects, climbing and reaching crime investigators should be healthy and in good physical condition. They must also carry an assigned firearm while working on police enforcement tasks.

Other requirements for crime scene investigator jobs include knowledge and demonstration of investigative techniques and search and seizure procedures, understanding the department's specific practices and polices in regard to their position and understanding their state's laws and regulations pertaining to their job. They must also be skilled in chemistry, anatomy, science and forensics. All crime investigators are required to carry a firearm and must have a driver's license.

Once education and training is completed, there are a wide variety of rewarding Crime Scene Investigator Jobs available to those seeking them.

[http://crimesceneinvestigatorjobs.org]