Criminology Reflective Essay

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In this essay I will reflect on the few assumptions and understandings I had about crime and see how they have changed. Upon arriving at De Montfort University to study Criminology and Criminal Justice, I had average knowledge about crime and punishment i.e. insight into biological and psychological perspectives of crime having studied A-level Law and Psychology beforehand. However I did expect to delve so deep into the history and other aspects of Criminology during this first semester.

During A-level Law I have read many case studies of murder, manslaughter, GBH, rape etc. I found the main reasons behind committing these crimes were usually motives for revenge, loss of control, hate, rage, and biological inheritance of 'criminal genes ' such as Monoamine oxidase A which makes individuals more prone to exert violence. These are all negative reasons for offending and
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I strongly thought that a world without crime is the ideal and perfect way of life. This was not the case; in fact it has come to me that crime is almost essential to going about with everyday life. Crime has a purpose of reinforcing the moral codes amongst society; it helps people know what actions are right and wrong. Durkheim, a new theorist for me, described crime as being “those actions that offended against collective feelings or sentiments”. NEWBURN, T. (2013) Durkheim, anomie and strain. In: NEWBURN, T, Criminology. 2nd ed. Routeledge, pp. 170-176. The crime in which an individual commits will have strong negative effects on the healthy minds of society. It almost disturbs their feelings and consequently triggers a need or desire to fight back or seek justice in order to restore them back to their healthy state of

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