Introduction
One of the greatest challenges in the world today is the problem of insecurity. This problem is gradually getting out of hand because of an increasing number of criminal cases. Crime can be defined as “the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority (via mechanisms such as legal systems) can ultimately prescribe a conviction” (Bernard 78). Crime is normally handled differently in various countries. For example, what is considered a crime in a country may not be treated as a crime in another nation. “While every crime violates the law, not every violation of the law counts as a crime; for example breaches of contract and other civil law may rank as offenses or as infractions” (Cullen 234). Nonetheless, many countries are today treating crimes as offenses.
Crime in Public Events and Venues
Public events and venues always attract many people and criminal activities are quite common in such places. The criminal activities that may be committed in public places can be described as follows.
Selling of Drugs in public venues
First, we have the problem of drugs being sold in parks, beaches and during events like football matches which normally attract many people. Many drug dealers have turned public events and venues into drug markets. They always pose as innocent individuals enjoying leisure time yet they secretly move around with drugs and sell them to their clients. This problem is very complicated and it has even affected the capacity of law enforcement officers to do the right thing.
This is because some police officers have been influenced by drug dealers and they have now become drug lords. Such police officers provide immunity against any possible arrest of drug dealers instead of arresting them. The problem of drugs in public events best explains why there are numerous incidents of crime in such places. This is because many people under drug influence are likely to engage in vices such as robbery with violence.
Theft in Public Venues
Theft is another prevalent crime in such places and this has made people think negatively about attending public events. This is because they do not wish to become victims of such incidents. “Public sexual activity is also another crime and it includes a range of behaviors, such as solitary nude sunbathing, flashing, streaking, solitary or mutual masturbation, fellatio, and vaginal or anal intercourse” (Kubrin 187).
This offense has always received mixed reactions. For example, some individuals do not regard it as a crime since the individuals that engage in it are always comfortable with each other. Some people feel that it is against the expected norms in society hence they disagree with it. “Public sexual activity can attract a hostile audience, creating a risk of violent crime such as assault and/or robbery, as well as a nonviolent crime such as blackmail” (Schamallager 278). Children who witness such criminal activities may be tempted to imitate them and this would have a long-term effect on their decisions and behavior.
Deviance in Public Events and Venues
In our societies, we always have codes of ethics and moral standards which govern how we operate. Deviance refers to going against the set societal norms and regulations. Norms are dynamic and they change from one society to another over a given period. Sociologists view deviance as “any thought, feeling or action that members of a social group judge to be a violation of their values or rules” (Venkatesh 356). Deviance has always been demonstrated by people especially in public events. For example, some individuals always conduct violent protests in the streets without seeking permission. “These people always engage in violence under the pretext of fighting for justice or their rights” (Venkatesh 360).
When such protests ensue, some people always take that advantage to loot other people’s investments. Violent protests always affect the capacity of a person to come up with good personal decisions. “This is because collective decision making is very common in such protests hence the decision of the group is what is always implemented by everybody” (Schamallager 280). This may lead to the development of very unacceptable behaviors among such individuals. For example, people who engage in violent protests are more likely to become violent and rude than people who do not abuse drugs.
Drug abuse has always influenced how people behave in public. This is because it impairs the capacity of a person to reason and do the right thing. For example, one may think that it is normal to shout in the streets after drinking heavily. Apart from this, drug abuse also encourages people to engage in other criminal activities and this can explain why there are so many cases of mugging and theft in public parks and public events.
Management of Crime and Deviance
The problem of crime and deviant behavior can be dealt with through several mechanisms. For example, security should be improved in public places and this would probably reduce the number of criminal activities. Those people who are found committing a crime in public places should be dealt with seriously to deter others from engaging in similar offenses. The management of security in the public venues should not be left for the police officers, but the public should also work together with the police to reduce crime. Rehabilitation centers should be developed to help people who have become drug addicts.
References
Bernard, T 2009, Vold’s theoretical criminology, Wiley, New York.
Cullen, F 2010, Criminological theory: past to present, Oxford University Press, London.
Kubrin, C 2008, Researching theories of crime and deviance, Oxford University Press, London.
Schamallager, F 2010, Criminology: a brief introduction, Prentice-Hall, New York.
Venkatesh, S 2008, Gang leader for a day: a rogue sociologist takes to the streets, Harper Audio, Berkley.