Defining Crime
Crime is simply a form of behavior that reflects multitude of intersecting forces. Crime takes place when there is disagreement in social norms and or a failure in social controls. It provides a mirror in which people can view how the society functions. (Bennett, 1989)
Criminological research shows that the definition of what acts are criminal has changed in due course. There is little indication that this will be any different in the future. The law and the public are often in conflict over which acts to label as criminal. Crimes are defined relative to the social, economic and political climate of the times, and are liable to slipping into and out of existence. In addition varying over time, legal definitions of criminal behavior can also change from place to place.
Defining a criminal act involves making decisions about which acts are to be regarded as criminal. The principles core to such decisions can be complex and controversial. For example, some laws, such as those dealing with under-age drinking, are designed primarily to compel people to act in their own best interests, rather than because society needs to be protected. Countries vary greatly on the age when drinking is permissible. Within the United States and Canada, the law varies from state to state and province to province.
The more theoretical definitions of crime are also widely different. Bennett describes criminal behavior as "a mirror in which we can view how the society functions" (1989). This appears to favor the social development approach in that it recognizes that the roots of crime lie with general, social and economic factors, not just the individual person. This contrasts starkly with Williams' definition that crime is simply "an act that is capable of being followed by criminal proceedings" (Williams, 1955, quoted in........
