2.2: Definition of Crime
- Page ID
- 47892
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Definition of Crime
So how do we decide what actions will be written into law? There are three theoretical points of view about this. The three views agree that in American society, we write our laws down for all citizens to see. In our legal statutes, there are a variety of behaviors listed which are controlled or prohibited by law. Some behaviors, such as drinking alcohol, are controlled. The laws state what minimum age you must be, where you can consume the alcohol, when you should not be driving, and so on—but as long as you meet the qualifications, it is not illegal to consume alcohol. Other behaviors, such as killing someone for no particular reason, are prohibited. It would not matter if you are 21, in the privacy of your home, and not planning to drive—the behavior is still illegal and strictly prohibited. What the three views disagree about is how society decides which behaviors to write laws about.
Image 2.1
The Consensus View looks at our society like one big happy family and assumes that we would all agree that behaviors which are harmful to the majority of society should be considered criminal and all other behaviors should be left alone.
The Interactionist View is slightly more pessimistic and feels that those with power at the present time will tell us how to behave in order to protect us, like a parent would watch over their child.
The Conflict View agrees that laws are written by those with power, but it questions if these laws are written for our own good or merely to benefit those with power.
Each view has some merit. The Consensus View is probably fairly accurate in small groups which use a democratic process, but it may not be applicable to our large diverse American society in the year 2006. The Interactionist View would certainly explain laws like seat belt laws which many in society disagree with but which certainly are for our own good. It would also explain changes in laws (such as the upward shift in legal drinking age) as the people in power change. The Conflict View points out how sometimes our society seems to have dual standards. Among the upper class to have a mistress is okay (and we may even make a Pretty movie about it) but among the lower class prostitution is illegal. Other examples might be how gambling on the stock market is okay but other gambling is not; businesses joining together and forming corporations is okay but gangs and sometimes unions are not; corporate crime is often overlooked, but our prisons are full of street-level criminals. We could test this last point by spending the weekend writing thousands of dollars of fraudulent checks (of course—do not actually do this) but unless you are a well-connected Senator (think of the news a few years ago) I doubt we will get away with it. Probably, all three views have merit depending on the circumstances.