Introduction:
“Crime prevention is everybody’s business”
-Harry hall
In the contemporary scenario, crime is something which is very prevalent. This word is used so frequently that it has lost the distinction between various acts. If an injury happens to someone, be it through grievous hurt, bank robbery, or bank fraud. What is said is, “that person has committed a crime”. But what is a crime? The general meaning of crime can be defined as any act which causes physical harm and is against the law. Which includes damage to anyone psychologically as well. The scope broadens when the crime from being against the person goes to being a victimless crime.
What are the Different Genres of Crime?
Crimes have different faces, which does not limit to bodily harm only, a crime against persons is just one aspect of the crime, let’s discuss the other facets of crime.
1. Crime against a Person: Crime against any person means, where any bodily harm is caused to any person. For Instance- Murder, assault, rape, etc.
2. Crimes against any Property: This kind of crime does not involve bodily harm, and limit itself to the theft of property, burglary, or arson. Anything harming the property in any manner.
3. Hate crimes: These crimes are committed based on hatred, which can be due to race, gender, religion, etc. These cases are very hated biased and no other intention is there thereto.
4. Victimless crime: These crimes do not include any victim, parties to this crime are neither harmed nor attacked. Few instances of this kind of crime can be listed as, prostitution, gambling where it is illegal, use of restricted drugs, etc.
5. White-collar crime: These sorts of crimes are committed by people who belong to a higher class of the society, and commit those crimes inside their business or related to it. For instance: Embezzlement, practicing tax evasion, violating taxation laws, insider trading, etc. White-collar crimes are generally not paid much attention to, because they are not evident easily, you come to know about them after a while because it does not create much shake compared to bodily harm. That is why they are ignored but they are of more consequence to society in the long run. They are usually protected by powerful and influential people which provide them with a veil.
6. Organized crimes: Organized crime means any group that exercises influence and control over an area, and is involved in the distribution and sale of lawfully restricted goods. They are structured groups, which deal with trading of drugs, smuggling of drugs or weapons, and money laundering.
7. Corporate crime: It is a crime which is committed by a business for their benefit.
What are the Fallacies People have Regarding Crime?
1. The Dramatic fallacy: It is an opinion of crime which forms in our mind due to the omnipresent media, and the news channels.
2. Involvement of courts and police: Many people still think that police and courts are the only authorities who are involved in the criminal matter.
3. Criminals look different: It is a thought in the general public’s mind that, there a particular way the criminal is going to look. But the criminal is no different from anyone of us.
4. Crimes are committed by intelligent brains: It is a thought which everyone carries generally, that the criminals are skilled and intelligent, but most of the criminals are unskilled.
Agencies Looking After Crime in India
1. Crime Investigation Department (CID): This is a crime detention agency, which is governed by the government of India. They work on those cases which are specifically entrusted to them by the government. CID officers investigate crimes such as rape, murder, communal riots, etc. Their act is investigative, such as gathering facts, collecting evidence for criminal cases. CID officers have a team which has people of different expertise, which are Fraud investigator, police officer, investigative officer, criminologists, paralegal, narcotics officers.
2. Directorate of Enforcement: This agency is responsible for fighting economic crimes in India, they are a law enforcement agency. It is governed by the ministry of finance and is a part of the department of revenue. The team consists of, Indian Revenue Service, Indian corporate law service, Indian police service, and Indian Administrative service.
3. Central Bureau of Investigation: This agency is one of the significant agencies which is concerned with the matters of crime and national security. It comes under the jurisdiction of the ministry of personnel, public grievances, and pensions. This agency is concerned with investigating several economic crimes, special crimes, cases of corruption, and many high-profile cases of importance. Looking at the cases coming to CBI for investigation, the agency divided into different heads, those are the special crimes division, anti-corruption division, the economic offences division, etc.
4. Financial Intelligence Unit: This agency is concerned with analyzing suspectful financial transactions. It is governed by the ministry of finance. The members were taken from these organizations, central board of direct taxes, central board of excise and customs, reserve bank of India, securities exchange board of India, Department of legal affairs, and intelligence.
5. National Investigative Agency: The main objective of NIA is to protect the security of the state. NIA can take suo-motu[1] (on its own motion) cognizance of any terror activities taking place in the territories of India. The new amendment act under this allows the agency to investigate crimes committed outside India, which breaks the international treaties and domestic laws of the country.
6. Narcotics Control Bureau: This agency is the highest authority for drug law enforcement. It is governed by the ministry of home affairs and is responsible for fighting drug trafficking and drug abuse. Set up as an apex drug law enforcement a
7. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence: This agency is anti-smuggling intelligence. It secures India’s economic security by securing and preventing gold, narcotics, and any other illegal smuggling.
How is Criminology Related to Crime?
Criminology is the study of crime, which studies and examines the person who has committed the crime, and the reason why they committed it, how it has impacted society, and its prevention thereto. The people who study criminology are known as criminologists. They work on finding out the root cause of the crime.
How do they Define Criminal Behaviour?
The criminologists follow certain theories to differentiate between criminal behaviours. Few of which are:
1. Classical theory: This theory explains that crime committed by them are conscious choices by the individuals.
2. Biological theory: This theory aims at the inherited biological traits of the individual.
3. Psychological theory: This theory aims at the childhood experiences and upbringing of the individual.
4. Sociological theory: This theory aims at the sociological experiences, of the individual.
The field of criminology has brought certain developments and advancements in the field of crime.
Conclusion
Crime is an act which is very misunderstood as a term, under this article I have made an effort to elaborate on various aspects of crime and theories related to it. Many of us think that only police are the authority to cover the areas of crime, but various agencies mentioned above play a role in regulating the crimes, which are not very known to the general public.
References:
1. TIMOTHY ROUFE, what is criminology, The balance careers (19 Aug 2020, 09:30 AM), https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-criminology-974589.
2.Crime in India, WIKIPEDIA, (19 Aug 2020, 10:00AM), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_India.
[1] An act or authority which is taken without formal prompting from another party.
0 Comments