Criminal Acts in Modern Societies - Assignment Example

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Sociology has changed my perception of criminals. Initially, I just viewed them as evil individuals who were sadists and bent on disrupting the harmonious co-existence in our societies. Through my study, I have been introduced to the theories that have been formulated in the quest to understand what makes a criminal tick.

Differential association theory tries to prove that it is the environment that increases the chances of an individual committing a crime. In a society where there exists a thin line between rights and wrongs, crimes occur almost naturally and unnoticed. Social groups that one finds themselves in are also likely to encourage crime inclusion of the individual member.

On the other hand, the control theory poses individuals who feel bound to society and uphold morality as less likely to commit crimes. They try hard to refrain from being involved in the execution of the crime. Crime has also been explained through the theory of routine activities. This theory suggests that the tendency of a crime occurrence is closely linked to the availability of an opportunity of committing the crime. Which could be the permissiveness of society and lack of supervision (May).

In the course of my study, I have had chances to get involved in friendly talks which were also a research ground, with students who are termed as troublemakers in their families and school. Drawing from their answers, some caused trouble as a way of drawing attention, others due to an ingrained hatred of mankind while others claimed that they just found themselves in trouble like trouble always followed them. This took me back to a sociology article that I came across during one of my research. The article associated crime with individuals who are mentally disturbed. The article insisted that most individuals committed a  crime as a result of a mental disturbance. From this information, I related those students to the criminals in our societies today. It made me view them as individuals who were troublemakers in the school and due to graduation from the school community to the societal community, they now cause trouble in society.

From the information, I have garnered in my sociology study, my understanding of crime and what makes an individual a criminal has changed. I now see them as individuals who either need medical assistance and counseling or rehabilitation rather than just hard work in prisons. To understand the phenomenal intricacies that complicate our lives in society, sociology know-how is very necessary. Our communities are faced with numerous problems that need scientific intervention. It is the role of sociologists to use their scientific knowledge to mold this society into breeding grounds of peace, happy co-existence, and honest prosperity. Crime is the first area that I want to specialize in through my majoring in sociology study. I aim to convert criminals into healed and useful members of society. I also want society to understand them so, they can accord them the love and support they need during and after rehabilitation. It takes more than force and heavy punishments to convert a criminal into a lovable and useful member of society.
The major assumption in this study is that there exist specific rules which are responsible for social situations. The method used in methodology is the disruption of the normal running of a society. They refer to it as the breaching experiment. Assumption holds that members of a society share norms that dictate their manner of conduct. Entomologists believe that by disrupting these norms, the members of the affected society are bound to react to the hitch. They believe that these norms are like a subconscious in the minds of members of society that govern how they conduct themselves. ...Download file to see next pages Read More