There are many different kinds of crime, and criminologists usually classify them into various categories. An example is property theft which involves taking something from someone else without permission. Property crime refers to criminal conduct that does not directly harm a person but targets private assets (“Sociological theories of crime,” 2021). According to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), theft is a property crime committed to obtain possessions, money, or other benefits (U.S. Department of Justice, n.d.). In this instance, the offender is referred to as a thief or a con artist. Generally, the individual has contempt for cultural and social norms and values.
In recent years, researchers have determined that crime results from sociological factors. As a result, theft can be explained by various theories and concepts. First is the social disorganization theory, which states that crime occurs in dysfunctional communities. According to the model, an individual’s residence has a significant role in determining their likelihood of becoming engaged in criminal enterprises (Zhao & Tang, 2018). For example, a person from a region with high rates of drug abuse, school dropouts, or single-parenthood is more likely to steal. Second is the social strain hypothesis, in which society emphasizes success and everyone is expected to attain life goals. However, the social structure of opportunity is often uneven and prohibits most from attaining their dreams, making them resort to illegal channels to achieve their goals (Zhao & Tang, 2018). Generally, these people are put under great stress and frustration, which may cause them to act inappropriately.
The third and final is cultural deviance theory, which combines the first two. Essentially, this is predicated on the notion that people from various cultures or social strata cannot concur on what constitutes appropriate behaviors (Zhao & Tang, 2018). Individuals who lack acceptable societal means of achieving their goals and community support are likely to engage in illegal activity. They believe in toughness, getting into trouble, and street smarts as core values. As a result, such people are likely to be involved in property theft and unlawfully obtain what does not belong to them.
References
Sociological theories of crime. (2021). National University.
U.S. Department of Justice. (n.d.). A guide to understanding NIBRS. Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.
Zhao, X., & Tang, J. (2018). Crime in urban areas: A data mining perspective.ACM SIGKDD Explorations Newsletter, 20(1), 1-12.