The death penalty and other issues concerning crime and punishment

The death penalty and other issues concerning crime and punishment
The death penalty and other issues concerning crime and punishment

The death penalty and other issues concerning crime and punishment

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The death penalty and other issues concerning crime and punishment, e.g. Prisoners rights’; torture

This assignment consists of building upon the reflective essays you have completed thus far, with the goal to help you expand your writing and critical thinking skills further. Choose one topic from the list below in which you must narrow down.

You are to write a research paper in which there is an investigation and inquiry into a question and/or thesis statement that is analytical, expository or argumentative, therefore answering it with detail and substantial supporting information.

You need to clearly indicate which platform you will be utilizing to express your topic.

You will be graded on the areas of critical thinking, information literacy, written communication, organization of paragraphs, use of supporting literature.

As the writer, you must formulate a persuasive arguments and/or counter-arguments to the reader (Professor Dawkins) providing your point of view on the topic. In your conclusion, be sure to discuss what led to your interest in the topic you have chosen.

Your paper is required to consist of 10 full pages of written content.

Finally, you are required to include an annotated bibliography for one your sources (Journal article) with your list of references. 

This paper must include references the least six or more references, scholarly articles and/or journals, books, no website or blogs.

Follow proper APA citation format in your paper and add a section on the references you used at the end of the paper with a heading “Bibliography”.

Below is a partial answer to the above homework questions by one of our writers. If you are interested in a custom non plagiarized top quality answer, click order now to place your order.

The death penalty and other issues concerning crime and punishment

Introduction

Crime and the general conduct that is considered criminal are frowned upon in every jurisdiction. Such behavior has always been viewed as conduct unbecoming, and those who have been involved or suspected to have been involved have had to pay for such conduct with their lives or freedom. They have also been victimized and shunned away by the other members of the society. In an effort to reduce and hopefully eradicate these antisocial behavioral mannerisms, the state has come up with various acts that are considered a crime in addition to prescribing the punishment for each act.

The punishments meted out are meant to be commensurate with the offensive conduct and are meant to have several effects on different groups of people. The most common measure is to be punitive for the deviant and to act as deterrence for the rest of the members of the society. These punitive measures have undergone a lot of changes with the advent of human rights and other movements that seek to promote forgiveness, understanding and embracing the deviants. There have also been a lot of changes in the way that conducts that were once frowned upon as deviant have been accepted and legalized.

Some of the conduct that was once viewed as unacceptable and punishable such as gay and other forms of queer mannerisms have been accepted and promoted in a bid to embrace the unique nature of every human. This, however, varies per jurisdiction. The involvement of human rights organisations and other movements have emerged to advocate for the rights of those regarded as criminals. These rights are applied at every stage of their lives, the arrest, and prosecution, their lives during committal and service of the sentence and finally their lives after serving time. 

This paper focuses on the general aspect of crime and punishment in different jurisdictions as they vary with religious and social beliefs, as do the treatment of persons from the point of investigations, arrest, trial and finally committal. The rights of the prisoners have long been neglected as they are considered pariahs in the society. This paper is analytical of the plight of prisoners and the sentences they face in addition to exposing the human rights issues that are to be addressed in the plights of prisoners’ rights.

Crime and punishment

Crime is defined as an act that infringes on the law and therefore punishable. This broad description covers the significant aspect of what crime entails although it is worth noting that some crimes are not against people per se. These actions or omissions result in the suffering of persons. As a general duty of the state and its agencies to guard and protect its citizens, any infringement of the same attracts certain penalties to the perpetrator. Such penalties are out in the criminal laws. These punishments are meant to ensure justice for the victims (Friedman and Percival, 2017). It is also for the maintenance of law and order.

The forms of punishment vary per jurisdiction. These forms are however general, ranging from the death penalty for the offenses considered capital to the payment of fines and community service for petty offences. Some offences are minor to the extent that the penalties given to them are contemptuous, such as offering an apology or even being let off with a warning (John, 2013). In pronouncing the penalties, several factors are usually given due consideration by the judicial officers, apart from the crime committed. Such factors include age, gender and the extenuating factors that led to the commission or omission of the said offence.

The general purpose of punishment has been a subject of research as many governments have dedicated resources to finding the best way to deal with this issue. New studies are being conducted and policies being formulated with the core purpose of finding a way to effectively prevent criminal conduct (Matthews and Young, 2013).  In this quest to find a balancing ground, several issues have been addressed such as the rights of the victims vis a vis those of the prisoners and the quest for justice to all. Although the rights of the prisoners have always taken a back stage since as the perpetrators or alleged perpetrators their absence in the society is most welcomed.

The inclusion of social mechanics of the society has had a great impact on the development of this area of practice of crime and punishment. The involvement of human rights organisations and the community as well as the introduction of acceptance in the forms of punishment. These changes have come up through various means, such as vide a court process, for the right of Muslim inmates to grow a beard to the right against torture, enshrined in the Convention against Torture and other forms of Degrading Treatment. These rights are accorded to the prisoners regardless of the magnitude of crimes they committed.

In a nutshell, the punishment prescribed for certain conduct is laid out in law. These are made to ensure that uniformity is achieved in the criminal justice system. In ensuring that justice is done, the prisoners are accorded some basic rights such as healthcare, the practice of their religious beliefs, visitation rights and much more. The treatment of prisoners and their respective rights have improved but still considered as degrading in certain instances.

Death penalty. Since time immemorial, the death penalty has been used as a form of punishment for those offences deemed capital. It was common to be sentenced to death when one kills or commits an abominable act. This practice is however lost its prominence as some jurisdictions have abolished the act and others; though have it as a punitive provision in their laws, rarely put it into practice (Garland, 2014). The uprising by some religious and human rights organisations in condemning this form punishment has yielded a lot of positive feedback. These organizations argue that life is sacrosanct and hence should be respected. They are against the practice of killing as a form of punishment for crimes that considered serious……

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Criminal behavior, the Legal Consequences that Follow and the Causes of Crime

Criminal behavior
Criminal behavior

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Criminal behavior, the Legal Consequences that Follow and the Causes of Crime

In the criminal justice system, deterrence refers to the lawful act of taking peoples’ ability to commit a crime in order to prevent them from committing it. Rehabilitation is on the other hand aimed at ending an individual’s desire to commit a crime by curing him/her from the desire and habits that incline them to felony (Andrews & Bonta, 2010). In that sense, deterrence is seen as a consequence that involves the punishment of the offenders, while rehabilitation involves practices that changes their perspectives and personalities in such a way that their criminal tendencies are eliminated.

The main objective therefore rests on the development of effective measures that prevent crime from happening, as such, it is necessary to understand the reasons why people are inclined to committing crimes. There are many theories that have been advanced in order to understand, explain and find solutions to criminal activities, and as such, they form the basis on which criminal psychology and forensic science operates in the criminal justice system.

The main theories that have been developed to explain criminal activity are the Psychological, Biological and Sociological theories. Each one or a combination of all the theories is used to understand criminal behavior, and the information obtained is used to determine the best ways to control crime.

According to Psychologists, there are three theories or approaches that could be used to explain criminal tendencies and behavior. These are; the biological approaches; the psychological approaches; and the sociological approaches (Bartol & Bartol, 2014). The psychological approach is based on the assumption that an individual bears the responsibility of his or her actions, and as such, prevention of criminal activity is focused on specific persons through programs that educate, train, rehabilitate or change the social and psychological perspective of the individual. However, this is based on the premise that the past behavior of an individual can be used to predict their future behavior (Bartol & Bartol, 2014).

The biological approaches are based on the assumption that people commit crimes because of some problem in their biological make up that could be hereditary or caused by trauma. As a result, crime prevention through biological approaches is usually achieved through un-natural interference in an individual’s body through initiatives such as psychosurgery, stimulation of the nervous system, and the use of chemical therapy among many others (Bartol & Bartol, 2014).

On the other hand, the sociological approach looks at crime from a broader perspective. It focuses on societal aspects that influence the environment in which the criminal lives in, and as such, does not directly hold an individual as being entirely responsible for his actions, but rather having acted from the pressure exerted on them by the social environment (Bartol & Bartol, 2014). Consequently, the sociological approach focuses on positioning how political and economic factors in the environment contribute to the occurrence of crime in a particular society.

Deterrence vs Rehabilitation

Deterrence as an approach that is aimed at preventing criminal activities takes place prior to the occurrence of criminal activity. Therefore, deterrence works towards preventing a crime from occurring and if done effectively, there would be zero cases of crime, and this because deterrence makes the subjects fear committing crime or takes away their physical ability to commit crime (Stein & Levi 2015).

It is therefore easy to argue that deterrence is less costly when compared to rehabilitation since is it is effectively done, loses from crime would not be incurred, and that the state would have not prisons to run or criminals to secure and incapacitate. Rehabilitation as an approach that is aimed at preventing crime may be effective in that; it works towards taking away an individual’s desire to commit a crime.

The approach is therefore taken into consideration after an individual has committed a crime as a means of eliminating the desire to re-commit the crime in the future (Andrews & Bonta, 2010). Therefore, it can be argued that rehabilitation is more costly to the state when compared to deterrence since costs associated with the loss that result from criminal activity coupled with those of rehabilitating the criminal are shouldered by the state at the same time. In other words, deterrence may be seen as a preventive approach and rehabilitation as a curative one.

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Deterrence is effective in that it prevents anyone from committing a crime regardless of their inclination towards it, while on the other hand, rehabilitation only focuses on those who participate criminal activities with the intention of changing their behavior (Stein & Levi 2015). This implies that while deterrence is a sure way to preventing crime, rehabilitation depends on the individual’s willingness to avoid crime in the future.

In the criminal justice system, deterrence has proved to be more effective in preventing crime as compared to rehabilitation, which is mainly because most individuals who attend rehabilitation programs only do it to be given early release. The state would therefore find it more effective to adopt deterrence as a fundamental approach and maybe integrate rehabilitation programs in the system for those individuals who wish to benefit from the service (Stein & Levi 2015).

The fact that deterrence takes the individual’s physical ability to commit crime is satisfactory in as far as prevention of crime is concerned. However, the individual’s desire to commit crime may still be present, implying that the individual may revert to criminal activities whenever he or she is released (Stein & Levi 2015). In contracts to deterrence, rehabilitation would prevent the individual from desiring to commit a crime even when supervision is withdrawn. As such, it would be more effective to provide rehabilitation services to in mates so as to discourage them from reverting to crime when they are released from prison (Andrews & Bonta, 2010).

References

Andrews, D. A., & Bonta, J. (2010). Rehabilitating criminal justice policy and practice. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 16(1), 39.

Bartol, A. M., & Bartol, C. R. (2014). Criminal behavior: A psychological approach. Boston: Pearson, c2014. xxiii, 644 pages: illustrations; 24 cm.

Stein, J. G., & Levi, R. (2015). In Partnership with the Center on Law and Security at NYU School of Law and the NYU Abu Dhabi Institute: Navigating Deterrence: Law, Strategy,     & Security in the Twenty-First Century: The Social Psychology Of Denial: Deterring Terrorism. NYUJ Int’l L. & Pol., 47, 409-855.

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The Crips and The Bloods: Made in America

The Crips and The Bloods
The Crips and The Bloods

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The Crips and The Bloods: Made in America

The documentary, “Crips and bloods: Made in America”, portrays the rise of gang life in Los Angeles and throughout the United States. Stacy Paralta presents the inherent growth of gang and crime life in the post-World War Two American Society. With the onset of the economic recession, the living standards of many Americans greatly deteriorated. Many young men found solace in deviant activities to manage the tough economic conditions.

Many youths in the United States Predominantly African-Americans, Hispanic and Latino’s were facing segregation in the access of services and opportunities. The current paper seeks to analyze the historical timeline of gangs and gang activities in south central Los Angeles as presented in the documentary, “Crips and bloods: Made in America”.

Racism during the economic recession led many marginalized American citizens to live in deplorable conditions. Greater resentment and mistrust of others among African-American communities emerged due to the inequality and injustice imposed against them.Brutality and victimization was at an all-time high, with injustices against African Americans in police arrests. In addition, there was open intimidation, with random police checks and a continued scrutiny of African-Americans. In August 1965, the Watts riots in Los Angeles were fueled by the arrest of African Americans for driving while drunk. This form of inequality stimulated deviance and development of gang life in American society.

Economic slowdown drastically reduced employment opportunities for marginalized groups and directed increased advocacy for equality. As a result,there was emergence of more civil disobedience and escalating violent demonstration to articulate the inequalities.The challenges had a significant impact on family structures where most children ended up as orphans due to crime. Further, owing to the tough economic situations, family members resorted to join gang life because of the economically lucrative and simple life. In addition, others saw these as a viable avenue of deviance to fight the banal inequality in the American society.

As presented by Stacy Paralta in the film, the Crips and the bloods gang were formed over 30 years ago in Los Angeles and have now spread to over 123 cities and 33 states in the United States. The Crips was established by two African-American students Raymond Washington and Tookie from South Central Los Angeles High School. It emanated from gang which was named “Baby Avenues” during the time in 1960’s. The motive of establishing the gang according to Raymond was for protection against other violent gangs committingcrimes.

            The Crips expanded to the most parts of the Los Angeles city with most of its activities based on the high school campuses. Initially, the Crips entailed three factions; the Eastside Crips, Westside Crips and the Compton Crips. According to the documentary, most of the other gangs within the area of Los Angeles affiliated, labelling of their gangs to the Crips. The criminal activities of the Crips revolved around extortion of other gangs, assault and robbery.The pioneer founders of the gang dissociated themselves from the gang. Raymond Washington was killed in 1979 and Tookie imprisoned for murder.

With the spiraling of the Crips dominance throughout Los Angeles, the Piru street boys, a gang composed of the mostly African-Americans emerged in the 1970’s. Both the Crips and Bloods had rituals for all the members before they join and also a symbol of loyalty. They had a membership of youths aged between fourteen to twenty-four. Further, the gangs were territorial exhibited brutal violence in their expansion. Initially, the gang was a set of the Crips until the confrontation of Sylvester Scott and Benson Owen by the Crips. They later broke off its membership after calling on other gangs victimized by the Crips which led to a serious conflict.

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The gang was formed to fight against the increasing dominance of the various Crip gangs in the city. Sylvester Scott and Vincent Owens created the gang based in West Piru Street in Compton Los Angeles. Piru street boys enjoyed new membership from members who exited the Crips. As a result, they formed an affiliation and was named the “bloods”gang. A serious feud between the Crips and the Bloods ensued which saw one of the most violent and bloody gang related killings in South Los Angeles.

The continued violence between the Crips and the Bloods was greatly fueled by the Narcotics trafficking business. In the 1980’s, inception of crack cocaine into the American market led to the increased gang based violence. The Crips and the Bloods are credited with most distributions and drug dealing activities throughout the United States. The fight for new territories among the two gangs has continuously sustained the highly violent feud. The high stakes in the drug business augmented the new heights in the crime the gangs are willing to engage in.

The gang life has gradually been entrenched into the popular American culture.Social organization of the youth have fostered the integration of practices such as graffiti and tattooing. These are very important symbols in the communicating among the gang members. In the education system, schools have become crucial socializing agents for induction of most teenagers into crime life. Crime norms and ideals are learnt through socializing with other students in addition to provision of incentives to joining crime life.

The high level of bullying evident in most high schools in America can be attributed to the gang socialization in community. In the business sector, gang life has permeated into the daily operation of legal businesses. Entrepreneurs engage in extortionists activities to solicit money and business deals. In addition, bribery and protection fees for businesses have become part of everyday business transactions.

In conclusion, the advent of gang life in the United States as depicted by the documentary is largely ascribed to economic challenges and social injustices. Most of gangs were formed to contest against the blatant segregation of African-Americans, Hispanics and Latino communities. Formation of these gangs disintegrated the conventional way of businesses and family operations. Bloody violence increased number of violent murders leaving many orphaned.  Furthermore, intimidation was entrenched as the new way of conducting business.

References

Stacy Peralta, S. G. (Writer), & Paralta, S. (Director). (2008). Bloodz &Crips – Made in America [Motion Picture]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdv08c0aiTE

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Gun Violence, Gang association, youth association

gun violence
Gun Violence

Gun Violence

Introduction

            A purpose statement is a segment of the introductory portion of a study that summarizes the research’s role and hints on what the research is about and how it achieved the purpose. The purpose statement of the research calls for the introduction of measures to curb gun violence and implement intervention programs where necessary to control gun violence.

The statement includes all the signaling words the research is about, that is, gun violence, gangs and the youth. The statement is clear that the research is qualitative due to the mention of a small sample and qualitative research techniques such as Poisson and logistic regression. The statement is framed in a manner that is consistent with the purpose of the research as it demonstrates intend to achieve a positive hypothesis on the dependent variables. The statement also indicates the following;

  Intent

            The research intends to expose the influence of gangs and gun violence in various neighborhoods in various parts of the United States on the inception of young boys and girls into gangs. This is so as to encourage invention measures to end gun crime in America, which is currently a major concern.

Participants and Research site

            There are a hundred and sixty four participants in the research. However, the purpose statement is not very clear about the sampling techniques used and the ratios between the respondent categories. The statement also mentions the research site to be in middle schools in South East Lost Angeles, California.

Variables used

            The use of the sample data in the research as well the regression models provides a pre-emptive analysis of the cases in Los Angeles. The distribution of the sample is ample to provide a proper representation of the entire scope of research. However, the use of a sample of predominantly Hispanic boys and girls is imminently circumstantial. This presents a significant challenge to the research since communities in Black, Native American and Asian-American communities may present different findings.

Theory Identified

            The research demonstrates the confirmation of the Social Cognitive theory by Holt and Chapman. The theory can be summarized as follows ‘portions of a person’s knowledge can be acquired by directly observing the actions of other people and learning from them.’ Communal issues such as neighborhood gang presence, gun presence and cases of gang violence often affect the psychological response of children to gang violence (Decker, van Gemert & Pyrooz, 2009). In some cases, the perception of these issues can discourage these children from aggressive practices while in other cases; it can encourage them to join gangs where they feel like it is the only way to survive such neighborhoods.

            Other factors such as level of education, nature of neighborhoods and existing legislation are important aspects of this research that need to be included as well (Klein, 2007). It is necessary to also ensure that the sample distributes aspects of distribution such as age groups, family income and cognitive factors in the children. These issues present a clearer picture in researches (Wolverton, 2009).

Data collection techniques

            The interviews were used for qualitative data while the questionnaires presented a survey sample for the quantitative data.

Conclusion             

            The purpose statement of the research by Forster, Grigsby, Unger & Sussman (2015) demonstrates that mixed methods are used in the research. The statement presents an aspect of quantitative analysis in the number of households with cases of violence as well as views from different households; all Hispanic. Research on impact analysis and correlative data needs to be very accurate and particular.

However, there should be quantifiable and qualified data for use in research that seeks to encourage policy changes and the adoption of new measures to change an endemic issue (Grantham, 2009). The research by Forster, Grigsby, Unger & Sussman (2015) does present relevant information on gang violence. However, this data is not sufficient to encourage policy change.

References

Decker, S. H., van Gemert, F., & Pyrooz, D. C. (2009). Gangs, migration, and crime: The changing landscape in europe and the USA. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 10(4), 393-408.

Forster, M., Grigsby, T. J., Unger, J. B., & Sussman, S. (2015). Associations between gun violence exposure, gang associations, and youth aggression: Implications for prevention and intervention programs. Journal of Criminology, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.11

Grantham, R. V. (2009). Wheelchair warrior: Gangs, disability, and basketball. Contemporary Sociology, 38(2), 154-155.

Klein, M. W. (2007). Gangs in the global city: Alternatives to traditional criminology. Contemporary Sociology, 36(5), 480-481.

McGloin, J. M. (2007). Studying youth gangs. Contemporary Sociology, 36(2), 171-172.

Wolverton, Marvin L,PhD., M.A.I. (2009). Research design, hypothesis testing, and sampling. The Appraisal Journal, 77(4), 370-382.

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Impact of criminological research on social policy

criminological research
criminological research

Impact of criminological research on social policy

Criminological research can impact social policy in a considerable way, given that crime and criminal justice are generally considered social issues. While criminal justice is involved in studying crime, social policy aims at establishing how the society promotes the welfare of individuals. Both areas are also related to social problems that relate to crime and are concerned about how better responses can be undertaken to prevent crime (Wincup, 2013: 5).

Therefore, research in criminology provides useful findings on crime, criminal behavior, causes of crime, ways of preventing crime and how to deal with offenders in order to reduce crime, all which provide solutions that can be applied in social policy development to make the society a better place to live.

Sociology aspect: Criminological Research

Crime is considered a social problem and social policy concerns itself with addressing social problems. In this relation, criminology and social policy have a direct relationship in that criminology studies provide solutions for addressing crime in order to promote societal welfare. The application of criminological research provides a more comprehensive approach to identifying social problems that lead to crime.

It provides a more scientific approach in the collection of data, analysis and presentation, which provides highly relevant information for use in managing crime (Liebling, Maruna & McAra, 2017: 58). A majority of these interventions revolve around social policy and this implies that criminological research has significant implications on criminal research. This could also explain why criminological research as a course is offered together with social policy, given that they both have a beneficial relationship.

The more recent research on whether prisons are more useful or harmful in promoting reducing crime is an example of research in criminal justice that has a direct impact on social policy. This is because while the use of prisons has been predominant over the decades as a means of correction, statistics have also shown that the use of prisons has only resulted in overcrowded jail facilities and increased crime as witnessed in the rate of recidivism among former criminals.

In this relation, criminology research has also focused on determining social interventions that would be more effective in reducing crime such as poverty reduction, education, early child development programs, job creation, war on drugs, help for mental problems and community-based punishments for crime (Liebling, Maruna & McAra, 2017). This would impact social policy in that based on the recommendations from criminology research, it is possible to implement such measures to provide solutions that improve social welfare.

Such actions have been observed in the United States there is increased efforts towards addressing underlying social issues that influence crime. A notable intervention has been the implementation of prison education programs that ensure that prisoners are able to take reintegrate into the society through finding decent jobs (Davis, 2014: 1). The same applies for prison overcrowding, where criminological research has been prevalent and established that overcrowded prisons have led to more problems in the United States’ attempt to reduce crime.

The government has consequently called for action to address the problem of prison overcrowding to promote the welfare of prisoners and reduce deaths, injuries, immorality and recidivism associated with prison overcrowding. To address such issues, social policy must rely on findings from criminological research because they are more accurate and are based on well researched theories, such that interventions are likely to lead to better outcomes.

References

Davis, Lois M., et al. (2014). How Effective Is Correctional Education, and Where Do We Go

from Here? RAND Corporation, 2014, Report No. 564. Retrieved from https://journalistsresource.org/studies/government/criminal-justice/effects-prison-education-programs-research-findings

Liebling, A., Maruna, S. & McAra, L. (2017). The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. Oxford University Press

Wincup, E. (2013). Understanding crime and social policy. New York: The Policy Press

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Impact of changing nature of crime on criminology

changing nature of crime
changing nature of crime

Impact of changing nature of crime on criminology

The changing nature of crime has a significant impact on criminology, leading to more intriguing research on new aspects of crime.  As noted by Barlow & Kauzlarich, 2010: 18), criminology theories have established that the complexity of behaviors and criminal actions as explained in different criminological theories point to the fact that the nature of crime will continue to change.

The modern times are characterized by unique crimes including unusual cases of terrorism, larceny and cybercrime among others. Criminals have become more tactful and the advent of technology and crime-based films have further increased expertise in criminal activities. The need to address the changing nature of crime in a proactive manner is absolutely necessary and criminology must adjust to accommodate such developments.

Besides, there is need to investigate the impact of traditional forms of crime correction and punishment to establish its effectiveness in the wake of the changing nature of crime. Accordingly, criminology has been affected by the changing nature of crime and there is need to keep studying such crimes and ensure that they are amicably addressed. Criminology is tasked with the duty of studying crime and developing solutions; such that urgent research is required to address new aspects of crime.

The changing nature of crime could be a reflection that theories in criminology have been outdated and that new focus is needed in order to manage modern crime. New paradigms need to be explored in order to ensure enhanced crime management. In the case of terrorism for example, the field of criminology is tasked with determining the major motivations of crime and the possibility of preventing the attacks before they can happen.

Changing nature of crime: Terrorism

Recently, there has been a surge in the number of terrorist attacks in the form of lone shootings, an illustration that terrorism goes beyond the alleged question of religion where research has mostly been focused. The recent shootings in Las Vegas that left 59 people dead and nearly 500 injured on October 1, 2017 were perpetrated by a lone gunman whose motive of crime is yet to be identified.

Stephen Paddock as he has been identified planned the crime for a long time, purchasing guns and rounds of ammunition and booking hotel rooms that gave him a clear view of the venue (Yan & Karimi, 2017: 1). The attack raises questions on how such a crime could be executed under the tight security measures that the United States has taken against terrorism.

Paddock did not only purchase numerous guns and explosives but also managed to transport them in his car and into the hotel room without being flagged by security. It is possible if he managed to escape the scene as originally intended, he may have committed another crime such as a bombing, given the police found explosives in his car.

Paddock was mostly a private person and since no accomplice has been identified so far, finding the motive may require an investigation into his psychological health. Barlow & Kauzlarich (2010: 15) note that psychological causes have been linked to crime but its relation to terrorist attacks is still a new subject of study.

The changing nature of crime as far as terrorism is concerned needs to explore more theories than are currently being studied. This insinuates that criminology would have to change the direction of study towards investigating the impact of psychological issues and other factors as a trigger of terrorism (Corner, Gill & Mason, 2016; 561).

References

Barlow, H. D. & Kauzlarich, D. (2010). Explaining Crime: A Primer in Criminological Theory.

Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Corner, E., Gill, P. & Mason, O. (2015). Mental Health Disorders and the Terrorist: A Research

Note Probing Selection Effects and Disorder Prevalence. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 39(6), 560-568.

Yan, H. & Karimi, F. (2017). Las Vegas killer had more explosives, 1,600 rounds of ammo in

car. Retrieved from https//edition.cnn.com/2017/10/05/us/las-vegas-shooting-investigation/index.html

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Crime and Punishment: The Death Penalty

Crime and Punishment
Crime and Punishment

The death penalty and other issues concerning crime and punishment

This paper focuses on the general aspect of crime and punishment in different jurisdictions as they vary with religious and social beliefs, as do the treatment of persons from the point of investigations, arrest, trial and finally committal. The rights of the prisoners have long been neglected as they are considered pariahs in the society. This paper is analytical of the plight of prisoners and the sentences they face in addition to exposing the human rights issues that are to be addressed in the plights of prisoners’ rights.

Crime and punishment in the law

Crime is defined as an act that infringes on the law and therefore punishable. This broad description covers the significant aspect of what crime entails although it is worth noting that some crimes are not against people per se. These actions or omissions result in the suffering of persons. As a general duty of the state and its agencies to guard and protect its citizens, any infringement of the same attracts certain penalties to the perpetrator. Such penalties are out in the criminal laws. These punishments are meant to ensure justice for the victims (Friedman and Percival, 2017). It is also for the maintenance of law and order.

The inclusion of social mechanics of the society has had a great impact on the development of this area of practice of crime and punishment. The involvement of human rights organisations and the community as well as the introduction of acceptance in the forms of punishment.

Bibliography  

Creamer, C. D., & Simmons, B. A. (2015). Ratification, reporting, and rights: Quality of participation in the Convention against Torture. Human Rights Quarterly, 37(3), 579-608. Friedman, L. M., & Percival, R. V. (2017). The roots of justice: Crime and punishment in Alameda County, California, 1870-1910. UNC Press Books.

Garland, D. (2014). Peculiar Institution: America’s Death Penalty Today. In Die Sinnprovinz der Kriminalität (pp. 233-244). Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.

Maruna, S., & Immarigeon, R. (Eds.). (2013). After crime and punishment. Routledge. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=-WsQBAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=crime+and+punishment&ots=BHWteeRM9H&sig=fZpTDoEIAGl-vq2WTtaQEplscys&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=crime%20and%20punishment&f=false.

Mathias, M. D. (2013). The sacralization of the individual: Human rights and the abolition of the death penalty. American Journal of Sociology, 118(5), 1246-1283. (Annotated bibliography)

In the outcry for the respect of the sacrosanct value of life, the author looks at the various forces that have fought for the abolition of death sentence in most jurisdictions. He focuses on the trends, cultural and political that led to the achievement of this feat. The article further dissects the various challenges that have faced this fight such as religious beliefs and the embrace of the human rights cultures. It also looks at the various aspects of communal lives of the residents in the fight for the abolition of the death sentence as being paramount. 

Matthews, R., & Young, J. (Eds.). (2013). The new politics of crime and punishment. Routledge. Retrieved from <https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=rmzKtScaWv8C&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=crime+and+punishment&ots=DhSwn0i0xu&sig=MZdIQ1tiPH2lj0VyjZ48zQqyVOc&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=crime%20and%20punishment&f=false>.

Smith, C. E. (2016). Shaping Constitutional Law: The Example of Prisoners’ Rights. In The Supreme Court and the Development of Law (pp. 1-13). Palgrave Macmillan US.

World Health Organization. (2015). Sexual health, human rights, and the law. World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/175556/1/9789241564984_eng.pdf.

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