As anticipated the Criminology and Criminal Justice course has been an engaging and appealing course. My prior assumptions and understanding of crime were generally simplistic. Prior to the course I felt criminal behavior was a free will of an individual which is based around calculations. Throughout this essay I will present my views in regards to criminal behavior, Crime, punishment and the reliability of theoretical explanations of crime. Since the first semester I have learnt how my prior understandings of crime correspond to the classicist school of thought. Alongside this I have now discovered other schools of thought that exist consisting of Positivism and the Chicago school. In spite of this, the course has consolidated my views in
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The idea that humans are “insatiable, arrogant, crafty and shifting.” (Heywood Andrew, 2011: 55.) Thus making egoism the most dominant characteristic amongst individuals in society. Due to this competition amongst society I believed that people would consider pursuing crime to achieve their goals. This has become more apparent whilst studying the works of Robert Merton who presented his notion of modes of responses to crime. My perspective of crime widened and altered after gathering that conformity wasn’t the only mode of response, henceforth the persistency of crime amongst …show more content…
To acquire wealth and prestige is the major cultural goal. However this could be achieved through illegitimate means, as the rise of economic growth increases the expectations of an individual. Indeed the strain is between the goals of the individual and the reality of them ever fulfilling them. Since the first semester I have learnt that “the strain” and the state of “Anomie” have led to criminal activity to some extent. This may be due to natural talents or social structures which have led to Innovators. Robert Merton refers to such people as obtaining their goal in a way which society deems unacceptable. One noticeable way is to participate in criminal activity, for instance In Scarface selling drugs allow him to live this American dream. A ritualist differs in that they may seek to lower their goals and play it safe. Gennaro F. Vito, Jeffery R. Maahs 152. This is in contrast to retreatists, who are individuals who withdraw from society who reject cultural goals. In my opinion such people are exposed to criminal activity as there is a lack of deterrence therefore crime could be triggered by retreatists. Nonetheless these individuals tend to exclude themselves from society. Robert Merton includes drunkards and drug addicts as Retreatists. Finally Rebellion is a response that seeks to substitute new goals and the means to achieving them. Crime in this sense could be operating at a global scale
The idea that humans are “insatiable, arrogant, crafty and shifting.” (Heywood Andrew, 2011: 55.) Thus making egoism the most dominant characteristic amongst individuals in society. Due to this competition amongst society I believed that people would consider pursuing crime to achieve their goals. This has become more apparent whilst studying the works of Robert Merton who presented his notion of modes of responses to crime. My perspective of crime widened and altered after gathering that conformity wasn’t the only mode of response, henceforth the persistency of crime amongst …show more content…
To acquire wealth and prestige is the major cultural goal. However this could be achieved through illegitimate means, as the rise of economic growth increases the expectations of an individual. Indeed the strain is between the goals of the individual and the reality of them ever fulfilling them. Since the first semester I have learnt that “the strain” and the state of “Anomie” have led to criminal activity to some extent. This may be due to natural talents or social structures which have led to Innovators. Robert Merton refers to such people as obtaining their goal in a way which society deems unacceptable. One noticeable way is to participate in criminal activity, for instance In Scarface selling drugs allow him to live this American dream. A ritualist differs in that they may seek to lower their goals and play it safe. Gennaro F. Vito, Jeffery R. Maahs 152. This is in contrast to retreatists, who are individuals who withdraw from society who reject cultural goals. In my opinion such people are exposed to criminal activity as there is a lack of deterrence therefore crime could be triggered by retreatists. Nonetheless these individuals tend to exclude themselves from society. Robert Merton includes drunkards and drug addicts as Retreatists. Finally Rebellion is a response that seeks to substitute new goals and the means to achieving them. Crime in this sense could be operating at a global scale