Introduction
This is a review of the book ‘Crime and EveryDay Life’ by Marcus Felson, third edition. This book is easy to read and understand, and at the same time, provides a comprehensive and critical approach on the issue of crime.
Chapter One
Fallacies about Crime
This chapter spells out the ten fallacies about crime. They include dramatic fallacy, media painting a dramatic picture of crime activities, cops and courts fallacy (which states that the cops and courts play quite a significant role in combating crime), the not-me fallacy (where many people ascribe crime to a certain group of people with certain characteristics), innocent-youth fallacy, (which ascribes crime to the middle aged while children are perceived as innocent) and ingenuity fallacy (depicts offenders as too crafty and detailed for the normal person’s comprehension).
Organized crime fallacy states that crime activities are well organized into large families and organizations. Juvenile gang fallacy depicts juvenile gangs as hardcore members, who are brutal and ruthless. Welfare state fallacy states that crime is high in areas where welfare policies are not strong to favor the poor, than in countries whose policies promote equality and empowerment of the poor economically. Political and social agenda fallacy attributes most criminal activities to social and political agendas. Finally, whatever-you-think fallacy leaves no universal definition of crime, therefore, leaving its boundaries are vague.
Dramatization of Crime
Dramatization fallacy states that the media overrated crime, portraying it as a highly structured event. This is true to an extent. Murder is the number one crime we view in our television sets and read on the internet, while other major crimes like robbery are left out. In a survey, murder actually comprises less than 1% of all the eight part one crimes.
To another extent, negating this fallacy does not hold. The media plays a critical role in exposing crimes that were left untouched or to which little was done. It also warns the public of areas that are dangerous.
The Role of Cops and Courts
Fallacy of cops and courts exaggerates the role of the cops and courts in combating crime. Experienced offenders would not fret in the presence of the police. In most crime scenes, the police arrive as an aftermath and mostly, they do not apprehend the offender. When they do, it is that wrong victim. If they get the offender, there will be lack of sufficient evidence in court. If the offender is sentenced, the sentence is delayed. Chances of the prison system impacting positive change on the offender are minimal; he could actually get hardened as a criminal.
Despite these arguments, we cannot completely rule out the role of the police and courts in curbing criminal activities. If alerted in time, the police can respond in time to save a crime activity from taking place. The notion that police scare off offenders and does not leave them as confident as if the police would not be nearby is true. Police are almost entirely responsible for law and order.
Crime and Welfare
It is easy to attribute crime to poor people. Welfare fallacy disputes this and goes ahead to show that during the great depression, crime rates also went down. As conditions improved, crime rates also went up.
The irony is also depicted in the Scandinavian countries of Europe, which have better welfare policies that cater for the needs of the poor and promote equality among all. A survey showed that crime rates in these countries are actually higher than the US, whose welfare policies are not generous.
As much as this may be true, it may not be encompassing. In the developing countries, crime rates are higher in the slum areas than the suburbs. Only the types of crimes differ. Among the rich suburbs, crimes like murder for love and high ranking wire theft occur as opposed to murder for money, petty theft and rape out of frustrations which occur where poor people live.
Chapter Two
The Chemistry for Crime
Crime can be spontaneous or planned, even a non offender can commit a crime. For a crime to occur, three things must be in place to facilitate it: a setting, the context where the crime takes place, the offender and that which the offender intends to offend.
The three aspects of a crime reinforce each other for a crime to take place. The setting needs to be conducive, the offender needs to have the motive to commit the crime, and the target should be easy to access and worth the risk.
Stages of a Crime
A crime occurs in three stages. Stage one is the events prior to the crime, leading to the crime and the prelude stage. These could be surveillance and following the target. It could also be a quarrel. The second stage is the incident stage. Then, there is the aftermath. These are the events that follow the criminal incident, usually more crimes to cover up or meet the end motive.
It is not a clear cut set of events though. The prelude stage, for instance, could take a length of time. For example, the duration may be a day, a week, or even months of surveillance of a neighborhood, a person or a bank.
On the other hand, stage one does not have to be followed by the second stage. During surveillance, the offender may realize that the crime is impossible due to the circumstances. Stage two also does not have to come after stage one. For example, it could happen that in the process of stage one, if the crime is abducting a young girl for rape; the offender sees a carelessly parked car and decides to steal the car instead. Not all crimes have an aftermath; some are an end unto themselves.
The Role of the Setting and Guardian
The setting plays a significant role in crime. It could actually determine the target, and entice the offender to commit crime when otherwise, he would not. It has to favor crime to happen.
The guardian is the most important secondary party to a crime. This could be security officers like the police, a bank’ security guards, a parent, a teacher, a baby sitter, owner of some property or even the general public going on with their work, but happen to be close to you. These are the people that the offender fears will try to stop his action. He therefore has to look for a way to steer them out of his way.
People in society should therefore realize that we are all guardians to each other. Wherever one is, he should pay attention to his neighbor and realize his significant role in the eyes of the offender. He could be the barrier between the target and the offender at any one time.
Hot Products
Just not anything is stolen; the offender knows what to go for, for various reasons. The stolen item should be valuable, available, enjoyable, disposable and portable. He can not steal something not worthy the effort. It has to be something so conspicuous that he can not put it to use without fear of being caught. Some items stand out are can be easily identified.
Chapter Three
Crime Decisions
Offenders make decisions to commit a crime. Just like a consumer lays out reasons for and against buying a particular product but still makes the wrong decision, so do offenders. They can not make an exhaustive analysis of their plan, they leave loop holes. The difference is that offenders are more daring and ready to harm to get their way. Some crimes seem quite bizarre, and people imagine that the offender was not thinking right while committing them. This is not the case, even grisly serial murders and rapes and beastly acts arise out of decisions, wrong decisions though.
Stigma and Crime
Society has a way of creating stereotypes, which they use to judge others. These stereotypes are applied even in crime analysis. In urban places, people are highly alienated from each other such that they do not even know the neighbor’s second name, their occupation or birth place. When crime occurs, people seek all manner of justification while searching for the offender, and end up stigmatizing others and letting the real culprits free.
Options Shift
Every one of us is born pure. Tendencies of crime are acquired as we grow from early teenage to adulthood. A crime begins with one simple but criminal activity, which if we don’t put an end to, grows out of proportion to become full blown crime.
In life, we constantly shift our opinions even though we become enslaved to them. When this point comes, we should shift towards positive living. We should sense when that “bad” habit wants to become a part of your life and shake it off.
It is not easy though; crime pays easy and is addictive. But the consequences can be lethal like death, permanent maiming or life imprisonment.
Self Control
Self control is an art learnt at home, at school even at the work place. Self control keeps us in touch with ourselves, and prevents us from getting out of control and doing things we would not do. These are things that would land us in trouble. Keeping our tempers down and contentment with our own things rather than steal are vital virtues.
Most offenders have a problem with their self control. They may appear cool and calm and well composed but deep inside, they are aliens to themselves when provoked or they see something they like and want. This does not mean however, that all people who lack self control are offenders.
Chapter 4
Bringing Crime to You
Crime, like other processes of life, develops over time. Early life in the village was simple, crime was rate low. The village soon developed into towns and horses became a means of transport. Soon, there were buses and trains in the cities and metropolis. These developments aided the development of crime
Crime in the Convergent City
In the city, population increased and this had effect on the rates of crime. The population provided a means of natural surveillance therefore, reducing crime while at the same time providing a camouflage for the offender. Besides, many dwellers were strangers. With strangers, there is risk of increased crime. Basically, cities increased crime more than it lowered it.
Population Density and Crime Rates
Many sociologists argued that high population density posed an increased rate of crime than lowly populated areas. This is however not the case. The difference is the types of crime prevalent in the two areas. Offenders commit crimes that are relevant to their surroundings. Villages that are lowly populated record higher cases of burglary and petty theft, while the cities that are highly populated record crimes like car theft, bank robberies and kidnapping for money. Neither place is a safe haven.
Chapter 5
Marketing Stolen Goods
What happens to the stolen goods? The thief fears being caught with stolen goods. He will therefore use ways that will avoid suspicion while selling the goods. He will choose a location not near the place of the theft so that people will not identify the goods and probably sell them at a throw away price to the poor, who will not ask many questions
Critical Issues
Sale of Stolen Goods
When the offender realizes that his stolen goods are selling faster with better returns and no suspicion from the public, he is encouraged to steal more. The authorities have a critical role in discouraging this, as well as the public. Receipts should be issued for every purchase, and if they are secondhand wares, the place of selling (the warehouse or store) should be registered with the authorities.
It is easier to sell these goods to the poor than the rich. The rich mostly buy their goods from credible stores, because they can afford the higher cost. The poor however, not ready to pay the extra cost and scramble for cheap goods, not bothering about receipts or their origin
Crime, Growth and Youth Activities
The youth can be blamed for certain crimes like stealing money to buy drugs, the latest fashion, video games and many items that are associated with the youth. These crimes are reflected in schools because this is where an average youth spends most of his time. Parents, in their endeavors to train their children right, succeed and fail to both extents.
Schools and Crime
Most crime for the youth takes place or is initiated in schools. This is because of peer pressure among students. They meet here and map out plans for criminal activities together, taking the cover of discussion or homework. On the other hand, schools can help eliminate crime, if the right liberal policies are put in place and students taught morals.
Changing Position of the Youth
The youth are realizing that they can do more activities that are fun and at the same time constructive. Video games, organizing charity events, taking part in walks and picnics are fun. The youth are now becoming innovative at an early age with entrepreneurial activities
Chapter 7
White Collar Crime
These are crimes that are committed in a work setting. This could be in the office or in business. These include breach of contracts, illegal selling of company goods, unfair promotions, and many more. These are harmful to the public the organization or the clients.
Specialized Access and Crime
Specialized access entrusts people with total crucial access to highly restricted areas. These areas usually contain valuable material like electronics, jewelry and money. The permitted people can easily steal these items as they will not be suspected when going into these places.
These crimes can however be prevented. At times people without access steal access codes of those permitted and breach security to access these places. Strict measures should be put in place to prevent this. Access codes should be changed regularly and given to extremely loyal people.
Chapter 8
One Crime Feeds Another
When one commits a crime, he opens the doorway to many more crimes. The benefits of crime in the short run are high and this entices the offender to commit more crimes, usually bigger ones. Besides, one crime leads to more crimes. An offender can steal money and use it to buy drugs. After using the drugs, he can get into a senseless fight on the streets or rape someone. The chain is endless.
Crimes in the Illegal Market
Illegal markets breed a number of interrelated crimes. A brothel filled with prostitution is a good avenue for the trade off drugs. The trade of drugs is a good avenue for murder and white collar crimes.
Victim Becomes the Thief
It is possible that the victim of a crime activity becomes the offender. In the fallacies of crime, we found out that just anybody can commit a crime. Therefore, when one loses something to the thief, he may be tempted to take someone else’s as a substitute. This is not always the case. However; few people can do these, unless they have some offensive bit within them. Many accept their losses.
Zero Tolerance to Crime
Many people, especially those in authority, believe in zero tolerance to crime. This does not reduce crime. It actually is likely to increase the crime rates. People rebel in extreme conditions. Instead, there should be a margin of tolerance, which people are allowed to participate in. Some activities, like drinking should be allowed to some level, not totally banned.
Chapter 9
Local Design against Crime
Crime is an activity, just like others. If it is to be eliminated, strategies need to be put in place that will not favor occurrence of crime. The environment, in which crime takes place, should be designed in ways that it does not favor offenders, residential homes should be designed securely not to provide easy access to offenders, and the people need to be vigilant not to leave open avenues for crime.
The Environment and Crime
The environment plays a critical role in encouraging or discouraging crime. How safe one feels within the environment determines how exposed he is to crime. However, we should bear in mind that crime occurs even in the most secure environments.
Chapter 10
Situational Crime Prevention
Crime occurs in different situations. It can be a crime on property, assault, fraud or drunk driving. All these need specific measures to prevent their occurrence and especially to prevent them from happening again.
Victimization
Some people have become victims of crime more often than others. It may be by mere bad luck or that these people do things in particular ways that attract offenders. They could be more careless, high tempered, late home comers or drunks. They have to study their habits and change that which they do wrong.
Preventing Fraud
Fraud can occur anytime and anywhere if one is not careful. The easiest way to prevent fraud is to always do things officially. Make deals before witnesses, sign contracts before a lawyer and do not trust people easily. Situations can lead a trusted partner to commit fraud.
Chapter 11
Crime Science and Every Day Life
Crime science endeavors to study crime with the intention of preventing it. It does not seek to crucify offenders but rather, study the offence and how to prevent it from occurring again. It uses scientific methods in its study. These are more accurate, verifiable and more reliable than social theory.
The Challenge of Crime Science
The challenge is that crime is committed by human beings, who are social beings who have to be subjected to social assessment. There is no clear cut definition on man’s behavior. Prevalence of certain crimes in certain areas can suddenly change with no apparent reason.
Conclusion
The book gives a critical analysis of crime, events that lead to crime, stages of a crime and how crime can be avoided. It shows us that crime is an everyday activity that affects all aspects of our lives. It gives us a different approach for preventing crime and an all round approach involving both the public and the police. Besides, crime offenders are not distinct people with distinct characteristics; they are ordinary people who make wrong decisions.
Works Cited
NB/ No sources are required for this paper