3-Strikes Laws- Do they Work - Assignment Example

Violent Crimes The social problem being discussed is crime and in particular violent crimes such as rape, murder, and robbery. Crime violates criminal law and is subject to penalties from the society or government authority. It is a social problem for various reasons. First, it represents the deviation from the social norms of society or laws administered by the state (Lifemisbah). All societies in the world have problems that result from crimes. The state classifies it as a misdemeanor or felony meaning it is against public law.

The inability to solve some of the problems in the society result to crime. Secondly, it is a social problem because it determines the perception of people about the offender. The society breaks any engagements with crime offenders and isolates them as outcasts (Lifemisbah). Lastly, crime accounts for social problem because taxpayers pay for their upkeep expenses while in prison. The society also has to pay taxes for the upkeep of children whose parents are in jail because of criminal activities (Lifemisbah).

There are various causes of crime. Social-economic factors such as poverty and racism are the main causes of most crimes committed in the society (Hall). Poverty can make people do anything in order to gain money or material wealth. Poor people live in deplorable homes and houses. Such homes are evident in slums and makes the residents commit or be susceptible to crimes such as rape or robbery. The current education system is also to blame because it is defective. The education system does not cater much or lay stress on character and morality.

The two virtues are effective forces that can keep checking on violent crimes. The system is vocational biased and does not provide young people with worth and timely employment. The delay in getting jobs encourages them to engage in crimes. Jobless persons are idle and have the potential to be robbers or murderers (Hall). Biological factors also account for violent crimes. A low-heart rate is a biological predictor of violent crime (Hall). There are genetic differences in the brain functioning between violent and non-violent people.

Violent offenders tend to have a dysfunction in the part of the brain responsible for controlling aggression. Lack of impulse control and low intelligence also leads to crime. Harsh family characteristics also relate to the violent behaviors (Hall). The conflict theory best explains violent crimes. It is of the idea that different groups of people compete for resources. Crime is, therefore, the perceived outcome when the unfortunate group violates the norms and interests of the people in power (Dawn).

Crime links to activities that threaten the well-being of the wealthy. It states that a crime is an act of oppression. The values of those in power define crime and dictate on the appropriate punishment. The oppressed cannot access resources they need. The persistent attempts to gain them are then considered as criminal acts (Dawn).Crime can be solved in various ways. Through community policing, states need to have adequate policies deployed in crime-prone areas to prevent rapes and murders. People need to be educated on the adverse effects of drugs (“NIJ”).

There is the need to fund anti-drug campaigns that will educate youths on the dangers of using drugs and perform comprehensive drug tests. For sexual offenders, the state should register and follow them for a substantial period upon release from prison. The police also need to predict future crime using intelligence and implement predictive data mining, reporting, and crime analysis (“NIJ”). Works Cited"Crime & Crime Prevention." Crime Solutions. National institute of Justice, n.d. Web. 23 July 2014. .Dawn, Sarah.

"Conflict Theory on Crime & Deviance Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5449647_conflict-theory-crime-deviance.html." Crime 1 (2014): 2. eHow. Web. 23 July 2014.Hall, Shane. "What Are the Causes of Violent Crimes? Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_5141992_causes-violent-crimes.html." Crime 1 (2014): 2. eHow. Web. 23 July 2014.Lifemisbah. "Crime as a Social Problem." Socyberty 1 (2011): 2. Socyberty. Web. 23 July 2014.