Criminal and Non-criminal Behaviour - Coursework Example

Criminal and Non-criminal Behaviour The distinction between criminal and non-criminal behaviour has become a cause of disagreement in the modern world and this has been as a result of the many similar factors which are attributed to both. These behaviours are inspired by the manner in which individuals interact with one another in society as well as the environment in which they are socialized. It is therefore essential to study the various aspects of criminal and non-criminal behaviours so that some distinction can be made between them. Both criminal and non-criminal behaviours are developed through the learning process and this happens in such a way that individuals come to be influenced by those with whom they interact or communicate with on a daily basis (Sutherland and Cressey, 1978). Therefore, in circumstances where an individual associates almost exclusively with those individuals who are prone to criminal behaviours, then it is more likely than not that they will also indulge in criminal activities. Furthermore, in neighbourhoods where crime is extremely prominent, the likelihood of individuals living within it developing criminal behaviours is quite high because a large number of individuals in such environments grow up believing that there is nothing wrong with committing crimes because it is the only way to ensure their survival. By developing criminal behaviours, individuals come to feel like part of their own communities and develop a sense of identity with others of the same behaviour for the rest of their lives. Non-criminal behaviours, on the other hand, are developed in an environment where there are few incidences of criminal activities and the community strictly adheres to activities, which are non-criminal in nature. In such societies, it is normal for individuals to conform to the behaviour practiced by a majority of their community and this ensures that children grow up in an environment, which is free of crime and encourages them to develop non-criminal behaviours. Therefore, one will find that both criminal and non-criminal behaviours develop because of the influence of the environment where individuals are raised. In this way, environments full of crime breed criminal behaviours while those that have little or no crime have the opposite effect. Non-criminal behaviour is normally inspired by a strict adherence to societal norms by individuals within a community. In most cases, individuals tend to develop this behaviour because of their fear of reprisals that may arise from their getting involved in criminal activities (Scarpitti, Nielsen, and Miller, 2009). Furthermore, there are instances where individuals develop non-criminal behaviours, not because they fear reprisals for getting involved in criminal activities, but because they have developed a dislike for criminal behaviour. The revulsion, which individuals have for criminal activities, creates a situation where they are more likely than not to develop an attitude that is against crime. However, there are instances where although an individual may have been raised in an environment, which is rife with crime, he chooses not to become involved in any of the criminal activities taking place in his community. Instead, he develops a non-criminal behaviour as a means of rebellion against the established order of his community, seeing it as a way of escaping what might be termed as the corrupting influence of crime. Adherence to societal norms makes it possible for communities to function as a single, cohesive unit that is not only peaceful, but also highly influential on the behaviour of its members. Criminal behaviours in such communities are considered a cause of disruption of normal life and those found to have such behaviours tend to be punished severely as a means of discouraging such behaviours within society (Polinsky, 1980). The result of such behaviours being frowned upon is that members of that community are forced to conform to its norms as a means of escaping punishment. Criminal behaviour is often inspired by a desire by individuals to rebel against societal norms as they attempt to live independently outside the regulations that their communities have put over their behaviour. While many in society may consider criminal behaviour to be a violation of societal order, those who have such behaviour consider it a form of freedom, which allows them to do as they please (Farmer, 2008). The fact that these individuals have a feeling of not being restricted in their actions inspires them to become immersed in criminal activities. Under such circumstances, neighbourhoods or communities whose members have criminal behaviours often develop because they have been shunned by the rest of society as a result of not adhering to its norms or values. Such communities have a massive influence on their members, especially those who are in their formative years because a large number of them become involved in crime because the only people that they have to look up to are mostly criminals. These individuals, by working against those values, which provide societies with their cohesiveness, mostly do it not because of any malicious purposes, but because of their aversion towards following rules that they find restrictive. Therefore, there are instances where individuals develop criminal behaviours because they are tired of being guided by rules all the time, and they choose to indulge in criminal activities as a means of rebelling against societal values and attaining a form of freedom. The result of criminal behaviour under such circumstances is that the rest of society and come to live their lives on its fringes shuns the individuals who practice it. Criminal behaviour can be blamed on the continuing disintegration of the tight-knit society, which has been as a result of the advancement of civilization in the modern world. Before the industrial revolution and its aftermath, societies across the world tended to be extremely tight-knit with individuals descended from a common ancestor or those who shared common interests formed societies with the aim of providing one another with mutual support. A result of these living circumstances was that everyone looked out for one another because of not only their ties of kinship and friendship, but also community. In such communities, criminal behaviour was more or less discouraged because when individuals indulged in it, the most likely result would be that the life of the entire community would end up being disrupted (Jeffrey, 1959). The industrial revolution and arrival of the modern world changed all that because individuals developed a tendency to take care of their own personal interests rather than those of their communities as a whole. Tight-knit societies, based on kinship ties and mutual interest, began to unravel as individuals dispersed to other parts of the world in a bid to make life better for themselves. This situation created an environment where criminal behaviour could thrive without any of the restrictions, which were enforced by kinship since most crimes were committed against individuals who could be considered as strangers. The continuing disintegration of family ties in the modern world has further increased the problem of crime because individuals no longer have the moral restrictions needed to keep them from developing criminal behaviour. The unravelling of right-knit ties between individuals in modern society has been followed by a situation where criminal and non-criminal behaviour has come to be distinguished by legislation. This has created a circumstance where those behaviours, which were previously considered non-criminal, have suddenly become categorized as being criminal. This has led to a serious disruption of life because individuals have a hard time making a distinction between the two. Furthermore, actions which were previously considered to be non-criminal, such as the use of drugs, have in the modern world become criminalized with a large number of individuals being heavily fined or serving prison terms for being found either using or in possession of forbidden substances (Garoupa and Klerman, 2002). The ability of legislatures to curb the freedoms of individuals has created a situation where more people are intentionally getting involved in activities that have been termed criminal as a way of feeling unrestrained. The continued criminalization of non-criminal behaviour has made some members of society to lose confidence in the legislative process and has had an influence on how individuals behave under certain circumstances. These may include people indulging in the use of drugs, not because they are regular users, but out of a need to rebel against their government, which they feel, is restricting their freedom. Therefore, more individuals are getting involved in criminal behaviours not because it is in their nature, but as a result of the criminalization of actions which are completely non-criminal through legislations. In conclusion, the above discussion has shown that both criminal and non-criminal behaviour develop because of the environment in which individuals live, especially in their formative years. Furthermore, the increase of criminal behaviour in the modern world is as a result of the loosening of tight-knit relationships or communities based on family and kinship ties which acted as restraints on individuals. Finally, criminal and non-criminal behaviour in modern society has come to be defined through legislation rather than on actions by individuals, which are deemed to be harmful to the rest of society and this has made possible the prosecution of individuals for indulging in activities which do not harm others. References Farmer, L., 2008. "Crime, definitions of". In Cane and Conoghan (Eds). The New Oxford Companion to Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Garoupa, N. & Klerman, D., 2002. "Optimal law enforcement with a rent-seeking government". American Law and Economics Review, 4(1), pp. 116–140. Jeffrey, C.R., 1959. “An integrated theory of crime and criminal behavior.” Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 49(6), pp. 533 – 554. Polinsky, A.M., 1980. "Private versus public enforcement of fines". The Journal of Legal Studies, 9(1), pp. 105–127. Scarpitti, F. R., Nielsen, A. L., and Miller, J. M., 2009. “A sociological theory of criminal behavior.” In Crime and Criminals Contemporary and Classic Readings in Criminology. New York: Oxford University Press. Sutherland, E.H. and Cressey, D.R., 1978. Criminology. Philadelphia: Lippincott. Read More