Crime: Dangerous Acts & Our Justice System - Essay Sample

Introduction

Crime is described as a concept that society construes in terms of the values and norms it practices and observes. As a result, the description of crime varies from one society to another. Societies usually describe the crime as the act of breaching one or more laws or rules for which a given governing force or authority is likely to prescribe punishment in return eventually. When I watched the video, it is evident that crimes are dangerous acts, and our justice system may concentrate on the various crimes committed in the streets. In most cases, the justice system ignores much of the significant crimes, including corporate, state, and white-collar crimes. Besides, the video takes into consideration euthanasia, but it primarily shows how the law may drive social transformation.

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Further, it also explores the moral values. Laws and regulations have been applied, leading to a change in direct reaction to the identified crimes incidents and the different crimes covered by the media. The deduction of the video includes a discussion of the distinct theories of crime. It reminds us that the majority of criminology theories are inadequate when used to individuals categorized as having lots of fame, very rich, and considered high-status people in society.

It was interesting to ask several strange individuals concerning how they would describe a criminal in their understanding. I would honestly believe that the responses that the people would give potentially give rise to 100 different opinions or answers. This is because each respondent would give their individual opinion concerning a criminal. It would be a stubborn question to ask a stranger about their description of a criminal. Therefore, I decided this week to ask a number of distinct individuals at the local Walmart located in El Paso about how they would describe a criminal. The first individual I asked about how he would describe a criminal noted that he would consider a criminal as anyone who engages in committing the particular act to the extent that it potentially harms the targeted individual and society. During the interview, this respondent maintained that he would categorize a person as a criminal based on the actions from day to day. The second individual during the interview in the Walmart store described a criminal buy using their own words as anyone belonging to his race would be perceived as a criminal. The response triggered my curiosity to understand why he would describe a criminal in such a perspective. However, he maintained that this was his opinion and that he would stand by it.

In my view and definition of a criminal, I maintain that society describes crime as the act of beaching of one or more laws and rules. When these rules and laws are broken, the governing authority may eventually describe a punishment (Canter & Youngs, 2016). When society perceives sanctions and informal relationships as insufficient to develop and keep the appropriate public order, it may lead to the adoption of formalized social control systems from the state or federal administration.

A society usually decides what can be categorized as a crime or what is not a crime. Primarily, society has a system of laws that can describe a crime (Canter & Youngs, 2016). In the US, citizens are normally subjected to different categories of laws, including local, state, and federal laws. Federal laws in the United States are enacted by Congress, made of the Senate and House of Representatives. These laws normally apply to all US citizens. Situations may arise when federal laws conflict with local and state laws, although the federal law prevails in such fights. State laws are usually enacted by elected legislators (lawmakers). These laws potentially vary significantly from one state to another. For instance, gun laws can significantly differ from one state to state. Even though drunk driving is considered illegal across all states in the US, the associated penalties for the offense may vary from one state to another. Local laws are also referred to as local regulations. These laws are enacted by the city governing authorities or the local county that comprise of councils or commissions. The local regulations dictate how the residents of the different counties are required to behave in the community level. It may include requirements such as avoiding engine, especially in the city limits, and ensuring you slowdown in school places.

Robbery is among the crimes in society and which may become a homicide. When an individual is involved in a robbery, he or she may decide to shoot a cashier who is reluctant to give in to the suspect’s demands. In the event, the shooting may cause death, thus considered homicide. This is considered murder as the shooter killed the victim.

One of the examples of a crime myth includes that in every ten minutes, a woman suffers rape in the United States. The rape case might not be perceived as a serious issue if the victim had had sex in the past. Such myths are prevalent across all social levels and usually create obstacles to affected individuals. It impacts law enforcement, family members, medical personnel, hospital setting, and society at large. When we all believe and accept false beliefs, such as rape, does not harm the victim, it potentially places other individuals at risk (Gray & Horvath, 2018). This is because people may not know a particular crime committed. A woman in a rape case suffers the false beliefs we hold, which can have adverse impacts on her. She may remain in doubt regarding what is likely to happen to her.

We may also become a victim if we maintain the belief about a rape. In most cases, society perceives rape as occurring to the female gender only. As a result, the male gender may feel secure in potentially dangerous circumstances (Robertson, 2010). Sexual assault is perpetrated by or against all sexes. Nevertheless, men are often perceived as the perpetrators and women the victims of rape.

References

Canter, D., & Youngs, D. (2016). Crime and society. https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2016.1259495

Gray, J. M., & Horvath, M. A. H. (2018). Rape myths in the criminal justice system. In Women and the criminal justice system (pp. 15-41). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1007/97

Robertson, S. (2010). Shifting the scene of the crime: Sodomy and the American history of sexual violence. Journal of the History of Sexuality, 19(2), 223-242. DOI: 10.5555/jhs.2010.19.2.223