The Creation of Criminals
The Creation of Criminals
Sociology 305
April 12, 2010
Abstract
Crime and criminals are typically looked at from the outside as being a social problem "othered" by those combatting and/or suffering from it. In order to successfully address the various phenomena of criminal activity and especially criminal behavior as a whole, it is necessary to understand the motivations and methods of criminals in a vocational sense - as with any other labelled career - as well as examining the societal underpinnings and various psychological explanations of their appearance within the population. We are all familiar with specific manifestations of crime, whether from personal or secondhand experience, television shows, movies, sensational fiction and "true crime" accounts or the daily news, be it local or metropolitan. Everyone has their views and opinions on crime and criminals and what is to be done with them by society, as well as some differing perspectives on what exactly constitutes a "crime" in the first place, or what crimes are worse than others and deserve worse penalties, or which are overblown and do not warrant the punishment they receive. To be a criminal is not so distinct a state of activity-defined identity as being a doctor or a dancer or a physical therapist -- and yet, what should prevent us from considering it as a valid, though illicit, vocational area of pursuit and examining it as such, especially when it occurs as a personal pattern through life? Even among those who are themselves engaging in criminal activity, the subject itself is - in reality as opposed to fictional stereotype - a largely dissociated one, in which the matter of "crime" itself is not so much thought of as are differing degrees and proficiencies and blame attached to specific activities within the larger field (such as the near-universal disgust and abuse of pedophiles within prison society, for the latter). Criminals do not really think of themselves /as/ criminals
Sociology 305
April 12, 2010
Abstract
Crime and criminals are typically looked at from the outside as being a social problem "othered" by those combatting and/or suffering from it. In order to successfully address the various phenomena of criminal activity and especially criminal behavior as a whole, it is necessary to understand the motivations and methods of criminals in a vocational sense - as with any other labelled career - as well as examining the societal underpinnings and various psychological explanations of their appearance within the population. We are all familiar with specific manifestations of crime, whether from personal or secondhand experience, television shows, movies, sensational fiction and "true crime" accounts or the daily news, be it local or metropolitan. Everyone has their views and opinions on crime and criminals and what is to be done with them by society, as well as some differing perspectives on what exactly constitutes a "crime" in the first place, or what crimes are worse than others and deserve worse penalties, or which are overblown and do not warrant the punishment they receive. To be a criminal is not so distinct a state of activity-defined identity as being a doctor or a dancer or a physical therapist -- and yet, what should prevent us from considering it as a valid, though illicit, vocational area of pursuit and examining it as such, especially when it occurs as a personal pattern through life? Even among those who are themselves engaging in criminal activity, the subject itself is - in reality as opposed to fictional stereotype - a largely dissociated one, in which the matter of "crime" itself is not so much thought of as are differing degrees and proficiencies and blame attached to specific activities within the larger field (such as the near-universal disgust and abuse of pedophiles within prison society, for the latter). Criminals do not really think of themselves /as/ criminals
References: Anderson, David A. "Finding the path to optimal deterrence by tracking the path that leads to crime." Criminology & Public Policy 9.2 (2010): 275+. Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Apr. 2010. Conklin, John E. (2010) Criminology (10th ed.). Columbus, Ohio. Prentice Hall Ludwig, Jens. "The costs of crime." Criminology & Public Policy 9.2 (2010): 307+. Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Apr. 2010 Ramsland, Katherine. "The measure of a man: Cesare Lombroso and the criminal type." The Forensic Examiner 18.4 (2009): 70+. Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Apr. 2010.