Diverse: Crime Delinquency Disciplines Anthropology Psychology Psychiatry Economics Sociology
Diverse: Crime Delinquency Disciplines Anthropology Psychology Psychiatry Economics Sociology
crime and delinquency,
including its causes, correction, and prevention, from the viewpoints of
such diverse disciplines as anthropology,
biology, psychology and psychiatry, economics, sociology, and statistics.
Crime has traditionally been studied as a form of deviant behaviour. Crime is a behaviour
that violates official law and is punishable through formal sanctions. The dictionary meaning
of the word ‘crime’ refers to a “violation of law” or “an act punishable by law”.
The English word ‘crime’ is derived from the Latin term “crimen” which means ‘charge’ or
‘offence’. Thus, literally the word crime means “an attack on norms or the law”. It also
means “violation of norms and laws”.
According to Samuel Koenig, “Crime may be defined as any act forbidden by law which
society expects its authorized officials to enforce.”
According to F.R. Scarpitti and M.L. Andersen, “Crime can be defined in terms of the body
of law that codifies a society’s rules about proper and improper behaviour.”
According to Hall Jerome has defined crime as “legally forbidden and intentional action
which has a harmful impact on social interests, which has a criminal intent, and which has
legally-prescribed punishment for it.”
According to Elliot and Merrill, “Crime may be defined as anti-social behaviour which the
group rejects and to which it attaches penalties.” Therefore crime is believed that anti-social
elements are responsible for increase in crime rate.
According to Mowrer (1959) has defined as “an anti-social act”.