The Nature of Crime in This Age - Coursework Example

VIOLENCE IN CRIMES Student’s Name: Instructors Name: Course Code and Name: Institution: Date of Submission: Violence in Crimes Introduction I agree that the nature of crime in this age is violent in nature. A look at crime may depict it as the breach of the rules, laws and regulations that are established by a certain governing authority through different mechanisms, for instance, the legal systems through the establishment of laws that the citizens or the people under it must live within its means. Individuals within different localities and countries may look at crime from different perspectives. These includes looking at crime in terms of the scope committed, for instance, in state, local or international; some will look at crime according to the stage it is committed, for instance, when ‘crime’ at the planning level, disclosure, intended, supposedly prepared, completed, incomplete, and so on. Whatever the means in which crime is looked at, the main thing that stands out is the there must be a kind of breach of some establishments in terms of laws, or other structures that exists within a society or a country. Researchers and commentators have gone ahead to generally classify crime into the following three categories which includes property crime, public order crime, and violent crime. The paper is focused on the discussion of how crime in this age, has turned to be violent and discuss issues revolving around the violence in crimes today. Crime and violence The majority of crime that happens in our society today is violent in nature. This violence is attributed to the polarized nature of our society where there are extreme disagreements on at least one important issue (Mathieu, 2006). The following has really advanced violence in the nature of crimes today: (i) Polarization family setting Today there are so many disagreements in our homes that cause turmoil in the society. Common family values are respected no more, with many individuals being self cantered, not caring and irresponsible. This has played a great role in the increase of violence in our society today. There has been an increase in discord between coupled in families which has resulted in violent responses when their conflicts come out of hand. Conflict have also been on the increase between the parents and their children with cases of harassment being reported, this has led even the youth to grow up with values that are not good for the society, which at times causes them to be involved in violent crimes. Negligence and irresponsibility in the family set up has made more young people to get to look after themselves at an early age, this makes them at times exposed to other avenues that propels evil behaviour, such as the use of drug and drugs abuse which prompts violence in them, thus increasing the number of violent crimes that ate committed today. In some countries such as Australia, the cases of violent crimes related to drug abuse is significantly felt in the economy (Stigler, 1999). (ii) Polarization of political systems The political systems and the way countries are governed today have played a role to the increased violence of crime today. Countries with unstable governance structures have the highest form of violence experienced. In essence, in countries where there is no proper form governance, and more so where there is polarization of the top political leadership, then this causes a discord in the individuals in that country, who are likely to form alliances to the different sides that they do support and this often is accompanied by violent crimes being experienced. One such clear example is Somalia, where there is polarization in governance, in a manner that the Government controls some part of Somalia, and the other part are governed by rebels, this has made them experience violence crimes for quite sometime to this date. In today’s society, most of the violent mass crimes are based on some political instability due to the governance structures. As we raised these issues today, countries such as Libya are experiencing massive violent crimes due to the political instability in the country (Cohen & Felson, 1999). (iii) Polarization of social values and cultures The society values that were held from long ago are being neglected and undermined; this has led to disagreements that have affected the social relationships between individuals today. Every day that comes fourth, comes with an increased challenges in the social relationships that affect harmony in society. The values that governed child to parent as well as the parent to child relationship are not much recognized, this has led to violent crimes such as abuses in family, violent sexual harassments and even murder in homes. Social values are essential to create order in how the social relationships are governed. Life processes are much inclined to the use of social attributes to management them. Therefore, without proper synchronized social values, then tension and stress is created among individuals, the increase in stress levels among individuals have led to the increase in violent crimes. For instance, in Australia, a country that has been affected much by violence in crimes, it is estimated that 30% of violent crimes have occurred when individuals choose to shoot others and this leads to murder (Raymond, 2001). (iv) Polarization at the work place Polarization occurs at the work place due to the processes that come by the nature of work that one does, as well as issues related to the relationships between employees and employers; employers and the environment; or at times between one employee and another. This plays a great role in increasing violence in crimes. Situations such as the sacking of an employee may be taken emotional by an employee and it may result to the employee reacting violently; at times even simple things such as jealousy and racism in the work place may elicit some violent crimes being committed by the parties concerned. These are the issues that are real in the society today; yet they do contribute a lot to the increase in violent crimes in today’s society. Violence can be promoted by many other reasons; but the increasing challenges of life in terms of survival to exist are solid grounds to the global increase in violence. As much as there is a lack of a universal rationale, that has been agreed on by researchers; on the main reason why individuals commit crimes that are violent in nature; the societal pressures in terms of human wants and needs that cannot be met, has played a central role in promotion of violent crimes. In fact as the world takes the new world order, where one lifestyle is based on ones cash reserves, this leaves some socio-economic inequality that either directly influence individuals to engage in crimes, through committing robbery; or indirectly through the increase in tension and stress that by extent influences an individual or individuals to get involved in violent crimes (Felix, 2003). Violent Crimes Today A number of violent crimes that are evident today include: Child abuse - This involves cruelty to children or minors i.e. they comprise of individuals who under the age of 18. By virtue of their age, they are likely to be dependent and to be prone to being abused. Abuse can be in the form of ruthless punishments by the seniors, assault or even sexual abuse to some extremes. Such types of abuses are violent, however, it is needless to explain its prevalence today, for you switch on to your Television or radio and the news would always reveal several abuses that have been reported. Sexual abuse - This includes the act of injuring a person in the process of sexual activity due to lack of mutual consent for the gratification of the abuser. Today, there is an increase of this violent crime, which is attributed to the impacts of urbanization, drug and drug abuse. Child sexual abuse - It occurs when an adult is engaged in forcing a minor to engage in sexual activity, particularly without regard for the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the child, whom, by the many governing authorities is considered immature to have developed enough understanding of sexuality. Child-on-child sexual abuse - It occurs when a person below age 18, abuses another child sexually, and no adult is involved. Assault and battery - This is an assault that involves the actual bodily contact. It can take place in the form where one beats another person ruthlessly. It also involves an assault, this is against the where one attacks the other person physically or being violent to another person. It may also encompass an aggravated assault where there is the use of weapons or in other circumstances that is beyond the realm of normal assault (Ferguson, 2009). Sexual assault - This is in regard to a person regardless of gender, forcefully is involved in engaging another person in sexual intercourse without their mutual consent. Battery - This is particular to beating or wounding another person unlawfully, it may also involve touching a person in an offensive manner. Battery can either be an aggravated battery or Sexual battery. Domestic violence - Involves all the actions of violence against a person one lives with in a house or a member of one's immediate family. It can be through physical harassment or sexual harassment (Sutherland & Canwell, 2009). Violent crimes can also go to the extremes and involve; Homicides, which involves the killing of another human being. It can be through murder, which is homicide in certain proscribed conditions, aggravated murder or sexual murder. Other violent crimes experienced today include Property damage, which is the destruction of another person’s property e.g. Breaking, burning, or harming property. Finally, we have cases of rape, which is the unlawful compelling of someone to have sexual intercourse through physical force or duress. This may involve statutory rape, which involves the consensual sexual relations between an adult and a minor below the age allowed by law to engage in a sexual relationship. In addition to this, we have robbery which is the use of force or threat in the commission of theft activity (Ronald & Holmes, 2002). Conclusion In conclusion, there is an increased prevalence of violent crimes today. The nature and classification of violent crimes committed varies in prevalence depending on a given country. For example, in Australia, the prevalent crimes include homicides, sexual assaults, abduction and related offences, robbery, exhortation, and related offences. In Canada, they too classify their violent crimes into homicides, assaults, abduction, and robbery. In New Zealand, the crime statistics includes homicides, abduction, kidnapping, robbery, assaults, threats, intimidation and group assembly (Cohen & Felson, 1999). In United Kingdom, England and Wales they include all violence like sexual offences, and robbery, and finally in The United States Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics has come up with five categories of crime categorized as violent crimes. They include aggravated assault, murder, robbery, forcible rape, and simple assault. References Cohen, L. E. & Felson, M. (1979). Social Change and Crime Rate Trends: A Routine Activity Approach. American Sociological Review, 44 (4), 588-608. Felix, D. (2003). Violent crime: assessing race and ethnic differences. London: Cambridge University Press. Ferguson, C. (2009). Violent Crime: Clinical and Social Implications. New York, NY: SAGE Pub. Mathieu, D. (2006). Sociological Theory and Criminological Research journal: Views from Europe and the United States. Gurgaon: Elsevier. Raymond, G. (2001). Homicide and a Regional Culture of Violence. American Sociological Review, 36, 412-427. Ronald, M. & Holmes, S. (2002). Profiling violent crimes: an investigative tool. New Yoirk, NY: SAGE Pub. Stigler, G. (1999). The Optimum Enforcement of Laws. Journal of Political Economy, vol.78 (3), 526-536. Sutherland, J. & Canwell, D. (2009). Violent Crimes. Chicago: Black Rabbit Books. Read More