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CRIME AS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD


In a simple definition crime is the violation of criminal law; the term however has deffer from one place, time to another. For example, what constitutes a crime in Nigeria might not be in the Gambia, Ghana, or United States although some acts are globally accepted as crimes, this act includes Rape, Murder. Despite the fact that those acts are globally accepted as crimes, crime doesn't have a global meaning/definition. Scholars like Paul Tappan, Lanier and Henry, and others try to define crime in their own context.
According to (Lanier and Henry, 2001) Crime is an intentional act in violation of the criminal law committed without defense or excuse and penalized by the state as a felony or misdemeanor. Paul Tappan also defines crime as “an intentional act or omission in violation of criminal law …, committed without defense or justification, and sanctioned by the state as a felony or misdemeanor.”
The two definitions all talk about the violation of criminal law differs in the aspect of intention and omission. Lanier and Henry see it as an intentional act while Paul Tappan sees it as an intentional act or omission. An intentional act is when an or a group acts with the intention to cause harm or injury to an individual or group while omission is the failure to act especially when the law imposes a duty to act. The two definitions also talk about misdemeanor and felony; misdemeanor is simply a less serious offense that attracts less punishment e.g petty theft, drunk driving, prostitution, a felony is the opposite of misdemeanor as it means a serious offense that attracts much punishment e.g murder, rape e.t.c. Whether intentional or omission, sanctioned with a misdemeanor or felony the state needs to act on before and after a crime has been committed.
Crime has a negative impact on both the victims and the state, the victims suffer from psychological and social injuries that persist even after their physical wounds have healed. the state on the other hand also suffers from disrupts social order, chaos, and serious economic costs.
Despite the fact that crime brings about problems to a society, it also has some positive effects which include the creation of jobs by establishing security agencies, for example, the level of insecurity has made the states of the federation continuously agitate for state established security. The establishment of state security is not limited to the protection/achieving secured environment as it needs personnel to do so and it has to bring about jobs for unemployed individuals. Crime also creates social change in society for example the formulation of laws to deter and combat crime brings about change to society.
Crime having both negative and positive impacts has made it a double-edged sword which also means crime serves two purposes it brings happiness and joy.

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Comments

Unknown said…
The need for the explanation on crime i.e the causes, effect and solution should be enlighten by the government majorly with the help of the mass media, truly crime has it effects on individual but when it pessit it jeopardize the image of the country. This write up is really cool and educative....
March 11, 2022 at 12:52 PM
Anonymous said…
nice write-up
March 14, 2022 at 1:57 AM
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