Durkheim Crime Is Necessary Essay

Durkheim once stated that “We do not condemn it because it is a crime, but it is a crime because we condemn it.” The main concept of this quote as well as some of Durkheim’s writing is that crime is not only a part of society but that it’s a necessary part of society because it helps keep order. In my opinion, I would agree to some extent, with Durkheim’s theory and say that he is correct in saying that crime is inevitable. Crime is an idea that has existed since the early parts of society, however many people wish to believe that we can live in a world without crime. However, crime is a major part of how society functions. Durkheim once stated that “The only common characteristic of all crimes is that they consist... in acts universally …show more content…
As societies, gradually advance and change over time, so does that way in which crimes affect society. Durkheim believed that “without crime…there can be no sense of what is normal and what is not.” He believed that in order for us to know what is deemed right in a society we must experience and see what is wrong. Although every society has the existence of crime there is still a difference in the types and rates of crime that occur in any given society. However, crime will always occur in every society, regardless of its social state because most social norms are based on a moral code. That moral code can only be defined by previous criminal behavior based on that specific society. Therefore, crime has to be present for social norms and laws to be created. Deviance is not the corruption of character in a particular individual, but rather, it is an important part of all functioning societies. Because crime is found in all healthy societies, it must be performing some necessary, positive function or else it would disappear as societies progress and become more complex and