Introduction
The criminal theory helps policymakers develop laws that will aid in creating a better society, where potential victims are protected from crimes. One category of offenses, the crimes against persons, includes a wide range of criminal activities that caused harm or death to another person either willingly or by accident. This paper explores the topic of crimes against persons, the definition and legal criteria for this type of criminal activity, as well as some theories that explain why these offenses happen.
Literature Review
Firstly, the literature that will help define the term “crimes against persons” will be reviewed. The FindLaw library refers to “crimes against the person” as an umbrella term, which incorporates a large number of criminal offenses (“Crimes against the person,” n.d.). In defining whether a crime falls into this category, Federal, State, and Tribe laws are used (“42 CFR § 136.403 – Definitions,” n.d.). For example, any type of bodily harm committed against an individual’s will is classified as a crime against the person. Another example is any type of threat to cause harm to a person or any action committed against one’s will (“Crimes against the person,” n.d.). According to Cornell Law’s website, this category of crimes “includes, but is not limited to, homicide; assault; kidnapping; false imprisonment; reckless endangerment; robbery; rape; sexual assault, molestation, exploitation, contact, or prostitution; and other sexual offenses” (“42 CFR § 136.403 – Definitions,” n.d., para. 1). Therefore, the term “crimes against persons” is defined as any action that causes bodily harm or death to another individual.
Secondly, some social and criminal theories will be reviewed to determine how policymakers and investigators can approach this problem. In Chapter 10, “Crimes against persons — What we fear” of the textbook, Schmalleger (2017) explores the link between crime theories and crime policies that aim to mitigate the number of offenses. One example is the theory developed by Wolfgang and Ferracuti, which provides two distinct explanations of crimes. The first one is that there are certain groups where the culture supports the occurrence of crimes (Schmalleger, 2017). This theory of titled the “Subculture of Violence,” and serves as a framework for examining violent groups of individuals. Individuals in these communities share norms and values that prompt them to commit crimes. The second theory is about the similarities between victims and offenders (Schmalleger, 2017). Factors such as population size of poverty levels can be used to predict the number of family homicides or stranger homicides. In this regard, one should define the term “victim precipitation,” which is the victim’s contribution to the criminal offense (Schmalleger, 2017). Therefore, some theories help explain why, in certain areas, crimes against persons are more common.
Crimes, such as homicide, occur in different conditions, in some cases, a victim may know the offender. In contrast, in others, they do not know one another, which is a significant distinction for policymakers and investigators. Parker and Smith’s classification of crimes explains that primary offenses typically occur when there is a relationship between a victim and the offender, while nonprimary homicides have no prior connection between the two (Schmalleger, 2017). Moreover, the former homicide category is an expressive type of crime against persons, while the latter is an instrumental crime. Another theory about crimes against persons was developed by Goldstein, which is his tripartite approach, where substance abuse is named as the leading cause of violent crimes (Schmalleger, 2017).
Finally, some examples and classifications of crimes against persons will be reviewed. According to Schmalleger (2017), any action that causes the death of another person, either willful or accidental, is classified as murder or homicide, with the latter category referring to incidents where the actions of one individual caused the death of another. Murders can be first, second, third-degree, or felony murder. Felony murder is a particular category dedicated to homicide committed as a result of another crime. Next, as defined by the FBI’s Uniform Reporting Program, violent crimes are aggravated assaults, robberies, murders, and rapes (Schmalleger, 2017).
These crimes are among the most severe offenses, so this issue requires attention from government officials and the general public. For a long time, there has been a trend in the number of crimes against persons decreasing in the United States. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2018) survey, out of 174,101 victims of crimes against persons, 133,509 are females. Moreover, the number of victims of these crimes has increased between 2015 and 2015, and more people of the age of less than 12 are affected (Morgan & Oudekerk, 2019). In total, the authors report that in 2018, there were 3.3 million victims of crimes against persons. The crimes that affect the surveyed individuals the most often include sexual assault and rape and aggravated assault (Morgan & Oudekerk, 2019). The issue of crimes against persons is becoming more urgent in the United States since the number of victims has increased significantly in recent years.
Methods
For this research paper, the author analyzed the literature on the topic of “crimes against persons.” The basis of the research was the textbook by Schmalleger (2017), more specifically, Chapter 10. Next, government websites and webpages of educational institutions were included in this review, for example, the Cornell Lawshool’s page and Bureau of Justice Statistics. In total, five resources on the topic were included in the review, the majority of which are websites of official organizations. The sources were found using Google Scholar and Google using the keywords “crimes against persons” and “crimes against persons in the United States.” The results were analyzed by summarizing the findings from the literature and drawing conclusions based on the most critical information on crimes against persons, which will be presented in the next section.
Discussion
The most important findings in the literature on the crimes against persons are that these crimes are multidimensional, and the category incorporates the different types of harm caused to an individual by another person. The reviewed literature suggests that extensive research has been done on the topic of crimes against persons. Multiple theories help predict the likelihood of such a crime. Moreover, they help understand the relationship between the offender and a victim. Hence, the fear that people have of becoming a victim of a crime against persons is justified, since many of these offenses occur within a family or between individuals who know each other (Schmalleger, 2017). Moreover, some cultures or communities support the occurrence of crimes, making it difficult to protect the victims.
Crimes against persons are a broad category since it includes all actions and offenses, from threats of physical violence to sexual harassment or murder. This research paper mainly focused on reviewing murders and homicides and the relevant theories that explain the occurrence of these offenses and the victim-offender relationship. One significant concussion is that in some cases, victims may contribute to the escalation of violent behavior, which is victim precipitation. This, however, cannot justify any action classified as crimes against persons.
The statistics presented in the literature review is disturbing since it indicates that the number of these crimes is continuously increasing. Although in their report, Morgan, and Oudekerk (2019) do not cite any specific causes of such a trend, the theories by Wolfgang, Ferracuti, and Goldstein point out some potential reasons. For instance, increasing poverty and population size, as well as the increasing number of people with substance abuse disorders. Since these crimes are common, it is essential to protect the vulnerable populations, for example, women, who are affected much more often than men according to the statistics.
Conclusion
Overall, the focus of this paper is on examining the issue of crimes against persons, the legal definition theories, and the types of crimes in this category. The legal definition of this term, in accordance with the US laws, includes a wide variety of crimes, including murder, homicide, the threat of harm, sexual assault, crimes against children, and other offenses. The most significant finding from the literature is the problem of fear that people may have in regards to these crimes due to the fact that crimes such as homicide often happen between two individuals who know one another. Moreover, some characteristics of a society, such as its values, create a culture where crime is widespread because it is accepted.
References
Bureau of Justice Statistics. Criminal victimization, 2018 —Supplemental tables. Web.
Crimes against the person. (n.d.).
42 CFR § 136.403 – Definitions. (n.d.).
Morgan, R. E. & Oudekerk, B. A. (2019). Criminal victimization, 2018.
Schmalleger, F. (2017). Criminology (justice series). New York, NY: Pearson Education.