Define Crime Essay

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Conceptualisations of crime often differ from legal definitions to that of a sociological perspective, whilst the public’s perceptions of crime are largely influenced by various sources within the media. Legal definitions of crime are imperative to not only the criminal justice system but, in addition, to scholars for conducting research and testing hypotheses. Sutherland and Cressy assert that legal definitions of crime are marked by four ideals: politically, specificity, uniformity, and penal sanction (1978:19). Furthermore, the modern legal definition of crime refers to behaviour in violation of criminal law and liable for sanctioning by the criminal justice system (Henry & Lanier 2001:6). Evidently, crime is a complex concept, in which people’s perceptions of criminality are often influenced or shaped by a broader context. This research paper will look closely into the criminal case of Brian Wells, the “Collar Bomber” who robbed a bank in the state of Pennsylvania in August 2003.

Robbery, like crime, has several definitions including both legal and sociological. According to the American Criminal Codes, robbery is defined as, ‘Whoever, by force and violence, or by intimidation, takes, or attempts to take, from the person or presence of another…(US code…) The American criminal law operates through state legislation and consequently varies across the state boundaries (Desroches, 1995:8). However, this case study focuses on bank robbery, which operates through a split jurisdiction as it is defined at both the federal and state level (Desroches, 1995:8). On August 8, 2003, several men accosted Wells and locked a time bomb around his neck. This criminal case is known as one of the most ingenious bank robbery schemes in history an...

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...blished book. Despite the major impact this case had on all Americans, there were no legal or socio-political ramifications.

The collar bomb case spiked the attention of the mass media for quite some years, drawing major headlines from the town of Erie to the Herald Sun in Australia. Through a complex and long enduring investigation, the FBI were able to solve one of the most intriguing criminal cases in American history. The public or Erie, however, are still uncertain of the role Wells played in the case; was he an innocent victim or a willing participant. Unfortunately, there is no way to resolve this mystery. Although there were not any broader socio-political or legislative ramifications, this case shocked the town of Erie for quite sometime, with many people living in fear that they might be the next victims to an ever so complex crime.

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