Crime is behavior that violates public or private law, and can be punished by the state. The term criminal behavior is usually associated with acts of harm or destruction, such as murder, burglary, rape, sexual assault, robbery and arson. Most modern societies have legal codes that define specific crimes and rank them according to severity. Criminals can be sentenced to prison, fines or even death.
Rather than taking the narrow legal view of crime at face value, some social constructionists are more concerned about how laws are constructed and what is deemed “unwanted” and therefore criminal. They look at the political struggles between interested groups that shape “opinion” or popular culture and how these are translated into formal law. They also consider how the media shapes public fears and anxieties about certain unwanted behaviors or crimes.
What is criminal behavior has varied across history and cultures. Sociologists have observed that behaviors that are considered criminal tend to reflect values that are deemed morally undesirable or harmful. For example, the use of cocaine or a man’s rape of his wife were once not criminal, but are now. In addition, values and cultural differences can also affect what is viewed as the intent (mens rea) and act (actus reus) of crime.
Journalists reporting on crime should be careful to clarify how they will use their sources and to deal with them sensitively. They should ensure that the victims’ versions of events are accurately represented and that they are not exploited or traumatized in their reporting. There is a proven link between how crime is reported and the level of public fear it creates, so journalists should be cautious not to exaggerate it.