Crime and Law in Context: Understanding the Concept of Crime and Different Definitions

This report delves into the concept of crime and its different definitions in society. It discusses how certain behaviors have been criminalized and decriminalized, and explores government initiatives to tackle knife crime and their impact on young people. The report also covers different theories of crime and the role of the criminal justice system.

Crime and Law in
Context

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Using at least 3 academic sources explain the concept of crime and the different definitions.
Within your explanation comment on how society has criminalised and decriminalised certain
behaviours...................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
Discuss initiatives the government have put in place to tackle knife crime...............................6
Explain the impact that this could have on young people today.................................................7
TASK3 ............................................................................................................................................8
DIFFERENT THEORIES...........................................................................................................8
Role of criminal justice system for treatment of criminals:.............................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
When it comes to crime there is no particular justified cause for it, Crime is hereby an intricate
occurrence, which id different from cultures, region and varies from person to person. As
customs and traditions changes as to that the behaviour of crime also changes, criminalised or
decriminalised a crime switch it place from location, the pivotal of offence theories is sum up in
the two states, (a) Theory depends on Biological factors and (b) Theory depends on Sociological
factors. Behaviours turns into offences through the lens establishment of Social Culture, where
one can be considered as threatening peril according to some public community , whereas the
other public community will determine it as an act of honour. The abstracted beliefs of the
society holding the meaning of facts, The crimes which will be determined as organised crime,
which involves a faction of people which will tend to involve in severe criminal scheming,
apparently the main aim of organized offence is getting money. Scrutinizing the law of crime,
there are different establishment which will provide intact formation to continue to understand
the system of criminology. This report will ascertain the sources,definitions and concepts of
crime,discussing the perceptions of youth and initiatives taken by the government authorities and
analysing the control of press over the offence and victim, and the offenders with covering the
role of justice system in the course of action of offence.(Pifferi, 2019)
TASK 1
Using at least 3 academic sources explain the concept of crime and the different definitions.
Within your explanation comment on how society has criminalised and decriminalised
certain behaviours.
The term crime is describe the behaviour of a individual which is against the society and the
criminal law of that particular country.
Every act which is wrong against nation or society and harm any person or group of society is
called crime. Its is basically a breaking behaviour means break the trust or rule of society.
Many socialist define crime differently according to their prospectives as some are disscusing
bellow:

the newborn said that every government set some rules and limitation for a peacseful society and
the crime is a label to that individual who did wrong against the law and effcted society at large
or individually. And let them into legal penalty.
A act of criminal law does not define everyone is under crime in UK it can understand by one
example in UL if a individual kill a person with knife while fighting is crime but if that person is
a armed man and this happen in wartime it is not crime. (Walsh,and Schubotz, 2020)(Xun, 2022)
It does not mean that there is only one criminal law whole over the world the criminal laws are
differ from country to country. This also change the criminal system of country.
It can understand by a example that in some country homosexuality is punishable with death
penalty but in united kingdom or some other countries this is not an crime.
According to the Oxford dictionary defines crime in other wards it said that any act or omission
which is punishable under criminal law and constitute an offence.
Criminologist after these difficult definitions they said crime is a diciplined theory of criminoly
which focus on various thing :
 study on crime
 study on those who committed crime
 also study on the criminal system as we as the penal system of country
there are many types of act which covers under the definition of crime. Broadly this can divided
in nine class as bellow:
 class 1- grave offences and offence related to homicide e.g. murder of person
 class 2- offences related to serious violence or damages, or drug crimes. e.g. robbery,
kidnapping, abduction
 class3 less violence related or damage crime and less drug offence.
 Class 4- crime against children and sexual offence. e.g. rape
 class 5- burglary offences include domestic as well as non domestic crimes.
 Class 6- to remove possession of one person on any article fraudulently is cover and theft
and fraud offences.
 Class 7- other offences include class 2 and 3 drug.
 Class 8- intimidating witness or related acts covers under offence against oublic.
 Class 9- trafficking of children or individual out of territory of uk and any sexually
exploit covers under serious sexual offences.

Above are a broad table for understand the crimes and the status of offence comes under which
concept which determine the seriousness of crime. Several offences and their impact on society
are as follows-
Childhood abuse
generally it can say that this crime happened with children in their early age or childhood . Child
abuse done in various way, including negating them by parent or family as well as mental,
physical or emotional.
Crime happen outside the country abroad
it covers when any individual outside the England and Wales and any act happened with them
which is against their safety and security is called crime abroad.
It also include cruise ships.
Online fraud and cyber crimes
these crimes are very known is present scenario. Here include various type of crime which
happened online. e.g. hacking. (Davies, 2019) (Hollin, 2019)
Domestic violence- when one person mentally, physically and emotionally abused by their own
family member is under the domestic violence.
Fraud-
when a person gain any advantage wrongfully or dishonestly is called fraud acts and is
punishable.
Hate crimes
when any act or incident of crimes hams the identity or part of identity of any persons is crime.
Murder or manslaughter
death is the most painful for everyone who experience this trauma but it become most worst and
painful when a person lose loved ones by act violent action of another person by crimnal act
murder or homicide. (Marquette, and Peiffer, 2021)This is particular crimes are the most
disrespectful toward society and the laws.
Sexual harassment- it is an unwanted behaviours with sexual intentions. Which makes anyone
feel uncomfortable or humiliated and create a fearful environment for someone is a crime and
offender is under the penal.

TASK 2
Discuss initiatives the government have put in place to tackle knife crime.
Knife crime is an offence which affects the human life and its punishment is defined by
considering the degree of hurt caused to any person. Knife is a sharp dangerous means which
may use to injure any person, whoever voluntarily causes hurt by means of knife with intent and
knowledge that he is likely to cause grievous hurt, homicide, attempt to murder or assault with
injury , threatening to kill , sexual offences and robbery, if satisfies all this offences he is said to
commit a knife crime.
Tackling the offence of knife crime should be the priority of the government considering the
level of rise from 2010 -11 to 2018-19,the data shows the rise of knife crime by 46 percent from
2010. There are many opinions over knife crime with an assumption that knife crime associated
with drug gang operating within the country which has been expanding across the country in
large cities , towns which led to more violence. Experts,criminologist and politicians and police
are of the view that due to cut in the police findings and reduced the police force has led to
increase in street crimes.
Rising concern over the increase in the offences, and the daily headlines which creates
negativity in the society have compelled the government to take appropriate actions with holistic
approach in which policing is one concern. The government begins to initiate serious violence
strategy. The strategy needs to be long term and must be backed by reasonable funding to deal
with the shortcomings that have been existed in the social system since long.
following the strategy, a ministerial task force was constituted to drive cross government action
on knife crime in assistance with well trained unit of team to encourage and support
departmental coordination. Ministerial task force was the result of serious violence taskforce
which comprised of ministers, police officials, local government , local community and
voluntary sector which was constituted in 2018 to assist the government to fight against the knife
crime. However after Brexit the process slowed down , but Boris Johnson actively took charge
over the issue and establishes a special committee on criminal justice to tackle the issue of knife
crime and other crimes(Bowling2018).
To pace the process of preventing and detecting crimes the integration of advance technology has
helped to promote more intelligence policing , which collects and use data of the offences and an
expected inference could be made on the offences. In addition, the Home Department has

released funds to support trial for technology that can help in detecting weapons concealed under
clothing which is a promising method for determining the presence of knives. The other method
is by identifying patterns and common traits of offenders who were previously convicted of
similar offence can be tracked by predictive analytics programme which is operated with the
coordination of nine police forces(HallScalia2019). The National Data Analytics Solution has
also created an algorithm which enables to identify specific individuals which is known to police
and enabled the officers to judge the risk of their first offence to be committed in the next 24
months. This is how the government with the help of law enforcement together with the use of
technology has able to curb and prevent the knife crimes. The statement made by Home office
spokesperson announces that the government is planning to recruit 20,000 additional police
officers which will be deployed to prevent and detect knife criminals with search powers. The
government is also intend to introduce a bill on knife crime issue which will legally cover and
empower authorities to work together in order to prevent and reduce serious violence.
Explain the impact that this could have on young people today.
Reflecting on the impact that have on young people's lives who carries a weapon. As the
government has endured to lift the restriction on stop and search power in order to combat knife
crime. The government's approach focuses more on the individuals who already carrying
weapons. Before addressing the impact, it is important to understand why people became
involved in such crime activity and why they carry weapons and this makes us remind that
violence and carrying a weapon is an individual decisions(DeucharandMcLean2021).
A research from 2019 presents why young people carries the weapons , what factors lies behind
carrying a weapon. The study showed, low trust in the police system , drug usage and associate
with the company of habitual offenders are common in the young people. This has impacted
more on the young people. As per the surveys conducted by crime and justice department which
showed that nearly 4,000 young people (10 to 25 years of age) were asked about their experience
in relation to crime and the police. The same question was framed subsequently next year
between 2003 and 2006. it was found out that the young people who carried weapons are
strongly in connection with their peers. The friends who are in trouble , the more individual
likely to carry a weapon. If considering the age of adolescence young individuals are attracted
and value more to the opinions of their peers. They seems to follow them blindly over anyone

else. Under the influence of their peers they tend to commit an act which can be criminal in
nature because they do not able to judge their own action. In simple understanding , it could be
said that when one friend in a group starts carrying a weapon, the impact is likely that other
friends within the group will also start carrying a weapon. In relation to a knife crime the truth is
that ones a person carries a weapon then this may continue for long and some day violence may
be committed. The explanation to this would be that for young people who lives and enjoys the
company around habitual offenders may face brutal consequences. The only way to prevent such
violences is to identify and track such offenders as early as possible(Spicer 2021).
TASK3
DIFFERENT THEORIES
There are various type of theories to control and define the crimes in society and make
country peaceful. Here discussing some of disciplinary theories as follows:
1. biological theories,
2. economic theories
3. psychological theories
4. political theories
5. sociological theories
 Biological Theories- The term 'biological' and genetic are frequently confusing in their
part that how the criminal influenced for committee a crime. This is very difficult to
understand the various factors of criminal like comprising physiological , neurological as
well as biochemical factors.(.Samuel, and Kennett, 2020)
 Economic Theories- This is the most important factor of commit a crime by any
person so it will be not over saying that the economical theories is root of any
criminal for doing crime.
 Psychological Theories- This theory depends specially on the individuals and their
family cause on any crime the commits. It is very difficult for distinguished
psychological theory with crime. It is basic concept that if a particular offending
behaviours is alike a unfriendly nature of person.

 Political Theories- It is well known that any crime take place for completing some
political objects of state. Crime may be given to complete an agreement with any
political theory .
 Sociological Theories- When any individual harm or negatively effects number of
group or whole society than it covers under sociological theory. Under this theory
there are three different type to understand it better are:
a) strain theory
b)social learning
c)control theory.
The platform of social media famous as Facebook, twitter and Instagram have the power to
understood nation the facts according to their prospective. It will be not over said that media
have power to make things normal to serious and the news which is serious convert it into
normal situation. (lver, and Cockbain, 2021)The manipulation power of media has very
important role on society as well as the criminals and the victim of crimes. Peoples are able to be
on the spot of crime and they don't have any actually situation . They know everything by the eye
of media and it is responsibility of media to do their role properly and responsibly. The media
have good and bad both impact on criminals as well as victims. In good impact there no doubt
that media has been very beneficial for many criminal justice system for help to delver justice to
victim of a crime by supporting them via social media. By these form the normal public easily
communicate the real situation of incidents and events happen in state. This make nation more
aware and able to think and act accodingly for their rights. On other side there is bad portion also
behind this that right to post freely on these platform increase the risks for young people. The
revenge porn a new crime also introduced by the media platform. By these medium a number of
fake news spared which effects the peace of any state or any other sensitive matters make
citizens panic and provoke them for crime. Many other crime also increase like cyber crimes etc.
Role of criminal justice system for treatment of criminals:
Past many years the criminal justice system has a very important role for deliver justice to
victim and also give a safe secure environment to criminal so they can improve their behaviour
and become good citizens. For the role criminal justice system to deliver natural justice to
everyone including offenders. So for protecting them from public behaviour and their hate

feeling for offenders they delegate some powers and subordinate some officers like (Bosworth,
Parmar, and Vázquez, 2021)
 mental health officers for protect and give reason opportunities to improve their mental
health because according to psychological theory most of the crime commits because of
mental health of offenders.
 Rehabilitation give assistance for go back to society after completing their punishment
and officer help to start their life from new poit and give positive environment without
any hesitation live in society.
 Probation
 when some offender commits some small crime first time and they are not serious and
petty in nature than probation officer have power to leave them on probation or give
some advice.
 Provide Medicine
 any offender suffering with any disease than the authority provide them specific
medicine and if need then send them doctor for their check-up.
 In prison they will not treated bad on the basis of race, sex, colour, religion, political, or
other status.(Martin, 2018)
 All prisoner will treated equally and fairly and respect their religious belief.
 They have right to part in cultural activities and education which aim to full
development of their humanity.
 The have right to access all health facilities which avail be in country.
CONCLUSION
This colourful propositions which tells about how crimes are reason for the society that
cause damage to individuals. The suggestion help to know the every existing is engaged in the
crime and how they respond to the society. The natural way only concentrates on the inheritable
neurological as well as biological factors of a criminal and the impact on society. On the act of
prohibited act or any crime which appears unusual rested on the model of rational condition. The
prohibited cause model of crime that every existent chooses between felonious and legal manner.

It is clear that media had a wonderful role to protect victims from unfairness and give help to get
justice. It is also clear that every prisoner also have rights which cannot be breached.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bosworth, M., Parmar, A. and Vázquez, Y. eds., 2018. Race, criminal justice, and migration
control: Enforcing the boundaries of belonging. Oxford University Press.
Davies, J., 2019. From severe to routine labour exploitation: The case of migrant workers in the
UK food industry. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 19(3), pp.294-310.
Hollin, C.R., 2019. Forensic (criminological) psychology. In Companion encyclopedia of
psychology (pp. 1231-1253). Routledge.
Marquette, H. and Peiffer, C., 2021. Corruption and transnational organised crime. In The
Routledge Handbook of Transnational Organized Crime (pp. 465-485). Routledge.
Martin, G., 2018. Crime, media and culture. Routledge.
McFadzien, K. and Phillips, J.M., 2021. Perils of the subjective approach: a critical analysis of
the UK National Crime Recording Standards. Policing: A Journal of Policy and
Practice, 15(1), pp.556-569.
Olver, K. and Cockbain, E., 2021. Professionals' Views on Responding to County Lines‐Related
Criminal Exploitation in the West Midlands, UK. Child Abuse Review, 30(4), pp.347-
362.
Pifferi, M., 2019. Criminology and the Rise of Authoritarian Criminal Law, 1930s-
1940s. Ideology and Criminal Law. Fascist, National Socialist and Authoritarian
Regimes, pp.105-124.
Samuel, G. and Kennett, D., 2020. The impact of investigative genetic genealogy: perceptions of
UK professional and public stakeholders. Forensic Science International: Genetics, 48,
p.102366.
Walsh, C. and Schubotz, D., 2020. Young men’s experiences of violence and crime in a society
emerging from conflict. Journal of Youth Studies, 23(5), pp.650-666.
Xun, X., 2022. Crime Propensity in Collective and individualistic Societies: A cross-culture
comparison between China and the UK (Doctoral dissertation, University of
Cambridge).