Crime is a phenomenon that has existed in society since the universe started existing.  It involves a person or group of people acting in a way that offends another individual or the rest of the group of society. While it is an ancient phenomenon, there still debate regarding its causes and effects on the community. Some people believe that it is normal while others believe that it is impossible for crime to lead to an effectively functioning society. In 1895, Emile Durkheim made an argument that crime is normal for a society to work. However, Daniel Patrick Moynihan published an article where he explains his reservations towards Durkheim ’s perception of crime. Therefore, this paper supports Moynihan’s argument that offense is not a normal aspect of society because criminal creatures are sociable, crime can reduce, crime has a purpose, and crime can be controlled.

Criminal creatures are sociable because they live by uniform standards applied to all members of the society. According to Durkheim, society exists because people live based on shared standards. Meaning, all members of the society have knowledge of behavior that is deviant and that which is not deviant.  Thus, his sentiments confirm that crime is merely a personal choice. The viewpoint is justified by Moynihan’s argument that criminals do not exist as unsociable characters.  Thus, they play a critical role in ensuring that there is normal social life in society. Being that criminals are aware of shared social standards, it means that, instead of upholding them, they make an individual choice to have deviant behavior.

Crime is not typical because it can reduce. Admittedly, something that is normal often remains constant regardless of factors that could influence it. However, there are many cases where is reported that night police patrol has contributed to low levels of crime.  While Durkheim’s argument is based on defending the normalcy of crime in the society, he contradicts his argument when he states that crime assault decrease during a period when there is scarcity.  Although he claims that this view should not be considered as his support for crime, it confirms that crime is not constant.  It can increase when there are excess items and reduce when there is scarcity.

Crime has a purpose. It varies depending on the characteristic of the criminal. Admittedly, even in contemporary society, most people commit crimes that they can achieve a particular level of lifestyle. According to Moynihan’s argument, crime has a function that should be understood even though there is nothing desirable about the process. The senator believed that crime varied based on factors like heightened emotions, and a need for a sense of belonging to a group.  For example, a student may steal money from the bag of his classmate so that he can take his girlfriend for lunch. Meaning, had he no one to take out for a meal, he would not have stolen, he would have worked for it in the right time so that he would use it when the right time came. Thus, crime has triggers which can be ignored, but others choose to react by deviant behavior.

Crime is not normal in society because it can be controlled. According to Moynihan, there are many agencies whose job involve restricting deviant behavior within some bounds. Something that is normal does not require efforts to control. Only something that has the potential to interfere with the normal functioning of the society needs to be restrained. According to Durkheim, crime is progressively losing the normality character. Meaning, it has become uncontrollable. There are many agents of crime control in each country. For example, police officers, prison cells, psychiatrists, and hospitals significantly deal with the constant increase in the number of offenders.

In conclusion, the purpose of the paper was to explain how crime is not normal as claimed by Durkheim. The paper has argued that criminals are sociable characters,  and crime can be reduced, controlled, and has a purpose. The society contains who interact based on uniform standards. Meaning, when one has a deviant behavior, he has chosen to go against the norms. Also, the rate of crime changes which does not occur in constant factors. Additionally, one commits a crime for a purpose, and many agencies are incorporated to control crime.  While the ideas of Durkheim may have applied in the ancient society where there were low levels of crime and the society was significantly religious, the frequency, scope, and levels of deviant behavior in the contemporary society do not reflect its normality.

 
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