Crime seems to be pertinent to society for as long as recorded history can allow. Its prevalence and occurrence have been subject to massive debate with borne of contention being why it occurs and how that information can be used to help in mitigation. Crime prevention entails the process of reducing or deterring acts of crime in an effort to make the society a better place. The prevention process has given rise to criminology, which primarily focuses on the dynamics of crime and criminals. Several theories have been established in an attempt to uncover the dynamics of crime and its prevalence (Vera, & Fabian, 2016). The single most common denominator across the theories is that the occurrence of a crime cannot be tied down to a single cause. The predominant theories in the world of criminology can be distilled into two distinct categories that is biological and sociological theories.
Biological theories assert that the occurrence of a crime can be linked to biochemical, neurological or hereditary factors. In this case, therefore, it is necessary to develop appropriate monitoring programs to detect such factors during the upbringing of children. Early detection systems can thus be used to help identify and manage biological factors that predispose individuals to crime (Hollin, 2013). The focus of this write-up, however, is on the sociological aspects of crime. The sociological perspective of looking at crime focuses on the role that environment plays in shaping crime and criminals. Family, school, church and the community form the primary tenets of socialization. In other words, an individual's upbringing is primarily influenced by these components of society. By creating the basic platforms of interaction for people, these societal tenets become the basis upon which behavior and moral compasses are developed. The family is the first line of contact for a child, and as such it carries a long-lasting impact on people.
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The community in the form of religion and school come in second, with peers and friends become a major influence. In this case, therefore, focusing on both family and community structure can go a long way in elucidating on the causes of crime. For instance, upbringing in single-parent families and two-parent families has been found to affect the behavior of a child (Akers, 2017). The structure of the community plays a far much significant role in behavior formation owing to the compounding effect in terms of numbers. This is to say that a society that is predominantly poor and crime-prone is likely to facilitate the socialization of individuals into crime and delinquency. The development of primary prevention programs should thus focus on the family as well as the community if meaningful advancements are to be realized in regards to crime mitigation. The single-most suitable approach to dealing with crime lies in the elimination of inequality (Welsh & Farrington, 2014). It is without a doubt that family structures and societal tenets have a great influence on the behavior of an individual. However, a greater source of influence can be found in the activities and efforts channeled towards earning a living.
Fundamentally, crime tends to be based on a sense of inequality between two parties, with one feeling inferior to another. The inferiority ranges from economic aspects to the intellectual, as well as social status within a given community. In this case, therefore, the inferior party strives to attain the perceive inadequacies through violent or illegal means, giving rise to crime. Crime mitigation efforts, therefore, need to focus on the elimination of all forms and systems of inequality within the society. This should begin by equipping individuals with skills and knowledge through equal education opportunities. Education comes in handy, not only in equipping individuals with skills and knowledge for personal development but also with the proper mindset of facing and overcoming day-to-day challenges. Equal personal development opportunities should also be provided to allow for economic freedom and independence.
The elimination of economic inequality means that financially motivated crimes are minimized altogether. The overall increase in income within a community increase the amount of disposable income which can be utilized for social investments such as sports and healthcare with ultimately enhance the quality of life. Social cohesion and interaction are pointed out as another strategy of combating crime (Barolsky et al. 2016). Social detachment comes with the absence of the feeling part of the community. This translates to a lack of responsibility in addressing communal issues. It also serves to increase tension and fear within a community.
As families and communities get more withdrawn, territorial conflict and misunderstandings often begin to arise. Social cohesion is thus considered a proactive factor in dealing crime and violence within the community. Conclusively, it is necessary to acknowledge the complexity and dynamism of crime across cultures as well as time if overnight success is to be realized in criminal matters. However, individuals have to make a critical and detailed analysis of their daily actions and activities in an effort to establish how it contributes to the elimination or facilitation of crime (Felson & Boba, 2010). While it is seemingly a daunting task to consider, its actualization is much easier since all one has to do focus on their moment to moment actions across the day. It is clear this is a process that goes on for an entire lifetime, but because crime has survived over several centuries, it becomes a task worth being committed to.
References
Akers, R. (2017). Social learning and social structure: A general theory of crime and deviance . London: Routledge.
Barolsky, V., Roberts, B., Gordon, S., Cano, I., Ribeiro, E., Borges, D., ... & McLennan, D. (2016). Is social cohesion the missing link in preventing violence? Research Brief, April . Retrieved on 27 March 2018, from http://repository.hsrc.ac.za/handle/20.500.11910/9991.
Felson, M., & Boba, R. L. (Eds.). (2010). Crime and everyday life . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Hollin, C. R. (2013). Psychology and crime: An introduction to criminological psychology . London: Routledge.
Welsh, B. C., & Farrington, D. P. (2014). The Oxford handbook of crime prevention . Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Vera, Y., & Fabian, N. (2016). Crime prevention through environmental design. . Master of City and Regional Planning Terminal Projects . Retrieved on 27 March 2018, from https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/mcrp/70.
