What Is Crime Socially Constructed

To what extent do you agree that crime is a socially constructed concept? Please elaborate your arguments with concrete examples.

Introduction I largely agree that crime is a socially constructed concept. The essay will first briefly introduced the definition of crime and the socially constructed concept then provide evidence to support the discussion that supports the topic.

What is Crime? Crime is a behavior which constitutes an offense and is punishable by law. Commit crime means breaking restrictive laws that could result in a lawful penalty for the interference by the government authority. Furthermore, law ultimately sets what is a crime.

What is the socially constructed concept? Social constructs can be generally defined

Crime is not inborn or naturally existed, it is often affected by a variable factor. Some behavior is categorized as a crime while others are not and law determines that what action can be taken as a crime. Social norms and values control the majority opinion towards what is goods or bad and subsequently punish those conduct “bad” behavior. Yet social norms and values are dynamics, they will change as time pass, the location will also affect the crime definition. By this indication, one’s behaviors that judged to be criminal can be seen as innocent in other countries, states or decade. Furthermore, the reason beneath the action is criminalized might involved religious factor. Such as Dubai, kissing in public area is taken as indecency crime due to the Islamic traditions of the country. Besides, the political reason is also considered as one of the factors that criminalized action in order to demonstrate the public that the government listens to citizen’s opinion. Smoking marijuana, as an example, before the 1930s, smoking cannabis in the United States was generally adequate. However, the government bureau diminished the smokers by naming them “dope fiends”, later, the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 passed. As a result, marijuana smoking was labeled unsuitable and illegal, and those who engaged in it were stigmatized as deviant. In addition, there is critique point out that criminology often concentrates on an interpersonal crime while neglecting crimes committed by state or nations which in truth cause greater harm and more