Main Cause of Murder - Essay Example

Main causes of murder Murder is a social phenomenon as well as an interpersonal issue. The reasons for a person committing murder lie scattered in history, culture, society and in individual psychology. Humanity has been trying to prevent murder by enforcing laws since the beginning of civilization. Also, the awareness about human rights and the acceptance of values like compassion and empathy have led to decrease in murder rates through history. Selfishness, anger, and jealousy can become causes of murder at an individual level.

Patriotism the craving for power and the wish to make money at all means may result in wars which are social murders. The cultural beliefs about valor and patriotism can become a cause of murder in an indirect way. For example, a father has been described to feel proud about the death of his son for having, “died a martyr” (----, 57). It is observed that aggravated and simple assault can be considered as a two reasons for murder though aggravated assault can be having an intention to kill while simple assault is considered as “a misdemeanor” (----, 57).

An exploration into the factors that prompt murder thus will show that the reason for a person to murder can vary from psychological to circumstantial and accidental. And it can be naturally concluded that most murders are not planned ones. ---- has also cited alcoholism and extreme hot climate can become factors that motivate an assault which may lead to murder (57). The author (----) has also opined that poor people and black people are the groups whose members are most likely to commit murder (57).

Such an argument immediately would invite allegations of extreme racial and class prejudices. Also there has been no conclusive evidence also to prove that these assumptions are right. But the author has referred to studies which suggest that “poor generally consider violence a badge of toughness and masculinity” (----, 58). If that supposition is true, it could naturally lead to attributing more murder percentage to the group of the poor. The assumption that black people are more likely to kill has arisen from the basic tenet that black people are usually poor and hence frustrated with their living conditions (----, 58).

---- has also noted that 12% to 13% black people commit crime, but it is reminded that the real reason is not their race but the poverty that they suffer and the access to firearms that they usually have in the present social condition (58). And so it can be concluded that murder committed by blacks is not a racial problem but rather a social problem. People are also found to kill within race. Another two very broad conclusions made by this author have been that men are more likely than women to kill and young people are more likely than older people to kill (----, 58).

It is a common assumption of all people irrespective of nationality or culture that murder is a male crime. It is also usually observed that men kill for selfish motives while majority of women murderers kill as an act of defense. It is also opined that Southern region has a “culture of violence” (----, 58). It is also explained that in the Southern region, this culture is manifest as a norm of accepted behavior (----, 58). Citing other studies, --- has said that murder rate is higher in rural areas than in urban areas (58).

But all the same there can be seen a paradox existing in that larger cities have more murder rates than smaller ones (----, 59). For example, statistics have shown that larger cities have a murder rate of 12.5% while smaller cities have 3.5% (----, 59). The reason is cited is the absence of community integration (----, 59). In the murder-prone behavior of men as compared to women, it is understood that murder often is a continuation of the abusive behavior that men usually have towards women (----, 59).

Another interest-evoking fact has been that while men mostly kill persons from the same sex, women are more likely to kill persons from the opposite sex (----, 60). Another aspect of the connection between gender and murder is that “males….kill at a younger age than females” (----, 60). It is also assumed that women are more likely “to kill at home” and also most likely to “get killed at home” (----, 62). Teenagers are another group among whom murder rates are high, according to ---- (---).

The teenage murderers have been considered as a product of certain social conditions. It is inferred that teenagers are more likely to kill strangers, more likely to commit robbery along with murder, and also more likely to have access to fire arms (----, 60). An investigation of murder weapons also have been made by researchers and been concluded that any object can be circumstantially turned into a murder weapon (----, 62). But in the particular social situation in the US, it can be seen that there is easy availability of guns (----, 62).

Hence, guns have become the most prevalent weapons to be used in murders (----, 62). In the US, there are 250 billion guns in operation. These can be registered ones as well as not registered ones. The easy access of guns clubbed with social frustrations of the deprived groups and people psychologically prone to violence can result in a murder (----, 62). Average murder rate in United Statistics 2 people per day and the reasons are usually, arguments and drinking. The murdered people are usually poor, and generally young males.

The establishment cost of the state in preventing murder is very high. It costs 90 million to operate California death penalty. Serial killers in the US have been mostly white people. This is in contradiction to the argument that murder rate is high among black people. 1% of murder crimes are found to happen in school violence and this has become an issue of power as well as ethnicity (----, 63).   The society has to maintain its law and order in a foolproof manner to prevent murder. Also attempts to wipe out social inequalities and deprivations would be an important step to prevent murder.

Creating awareness among the population about humanitarian values and promotion of community level friendship and grievance solving mechanisms could be another step that could avoid circumstances of murder. (Dear customer, You should add the name of the author wherever I have left blank. Also make a works cited page in the below given format). Works Cited Author Last name, First name, “Name of The Book”, Place of Publishing: Publisher, Year.Print.