Crime
A law is a set of rules that are set to govern society or human order.
A crime therefore is an offence against public law of the state with which on is prosecuted by the state for purpose of punishment of offenders.
An offence is an act, attempt, or commission punishable by law.
An act is that which one does physically.
An attempt is where one tries to do something but fails. While commission is where somebody deliberately does not fulfil what one is required by law e.g. if one neglects to help one's family
Categories of crime
The penal code outlines different categories of crime and their related punishment e.g. the Uganda penal code has various sections as illustrated below:-
Section 276A is concerned with incest which is carnal knowledge of relative (close) which on conviction one serves 2-3years imprisonment.
Section 272 of the penal code; any person who steals by violence; aggravated with a panga, gun or leading to death (robbery) on conviction; the punishment is death-
Other categories include child neglect, abuse sexually, emotionally, physical tortures on conviction leads to imprisonment e.g. parents of Ssebanga.
Crime therefore is any antisocial acts which damages the rights, peace and stability of others.
It can also be defined as violation of the law or breaking set laws of community. For that matter a criminal is that person who has committed a crime.
Types of Crimes
There are basically two types of crimes:-
Convictional crimes:
These are crimes that are antisocial, injurious in nature e.g. murder, robbery, rape which greatly affects lives of others, laws which deal with such crimes are criminal laws.
Civil crimes:
These are crimes which may not be injurious in nature but consist of acts that are prohibited by government and can also affect society or can lead to convictional crimes e.g. breaking traffic laws; election laws land disputes, cultural set of beliefs e.g. in Bugisu a boy who dodges circumcision is forced to do so. Laws that deal with this type of crime are civil laws.
Causes of crimes
There are many causes as noted below:-
Differential theory of Association; in this theory there is a claim that after associating with criminals e.g. moving with a group of thieves will make one to become a thief.
Differential theory of opportunity; that some members of community have access to national wealth while others feel deprived so use illegitimate methods such as gambling, smuggling, stealing in order to survive .
Unemployment: Those who lack the means of livelihood try to engage in activities such as robbery, pick pocketing, detoothing, selling air to survive.
Lamb rose' theory of inborn traits whereby children born of criminals inherit such traits e.g. a child of a thief can grow into a thief .
Laziness; some people do not want to work in search of survival they commit crimes .
Idleness: it is common experience than an idle mind is the devil's workshop .
Poor working conditions and unfavourable payments which can lead to strikes .
Frustrations; often times frustration have caused suicides, infanticide infecting others with the virus not to die alone e.g. the man who killed 7 people (daugh er son, and grandchildren) and later killed self at Nsangi in 2005 .
Accidental theory: some commit crimes without intent to do so (acciden ally) e.g. a car can loose control and ram into a house or kill a person off road e.g. e accident at R. Nile which involved those vehicle forcing one into the Nile in 2004 .
Ignorance of the law e.g. poaching is prohibited in game parks .
Increasing poverty; poor economic conditions has led to steali g. selling air, embezzlement.
Lack of recreational activities at places of work, home leads to drunkenness, adultery, loitering etc .
Personal hatred / anger leads to witchcraft and murder.
Indecent dressing can lead to rape .
Rapid social changes e.g. gap between the poor and the rich .
Decline in religious conviction where one cannot identify what is sin I.
Religious frustration e.g. Kibwetere who led to the death of his belie ers at Kanungu by setting fire upon the church they had assembled
The environment
Urbanisation .
Permissiveness of society
Influence of mass media
Selfishness
Drug abuse and misuse
Greed for material things
Modern technology
Ones position in leadership e.g. in Buganda a king had the power to do anything, even taking others wives.
What are the causes of crime in modern society? Outline the common crimes committed in Ugandan society
"All who rely on the law are under a curse". (Gal. 3:10) Analyse the problems likely to arise in following this statement.
Following this statement without understanding its background is wrong and is likely to cause problems for themselves. This is because Paul was writing to Jadaisers in Galatia who were confusing Christian principles.
Following the statement literary is likely to make people think that law is wrong and evil.
It is likely to cause disrespect for the law and will cause increase in lawlessness.
It will lead to break up of marriages since it will no longer be a legal relationship.
It will cause increase in lawlessness many people will be imprisoned.
It would be difficult to organise society.
It can cause disrespect of established authority e.g. no one will pay tax, no judiciary or police or prison.
There will be an incensement in crime rise.
It will increase on conflicts since no one will have power to solve them or bring about reconciliation.
It will increase on accidents since there will be no traffic laws, no court to fear.
It will be a problem to maintain harmony since no one will have the power to do so.
Immorality will be on the increasing; actually people would act like animals, having sex with anybody, anywhere or anything.
Cultures are likely to disappear and all its values/ teachings will be no more.
It may result in social disorders/ disorganisation causing fight, killings without any control.
There will be increase in cases of social perverts and deviants such as homosexuals, Bestiality etc.
It will be hard to promote reconciliation since no one will be able to arbitrate.
What did Paul mean by this teaching?
According to Paul Judaisers were misusing the law and creating confusions.
They told converts that unless they followed the Jewish law they cannot be sowed which was wrong.
They were interested in the external show off instead of internal purity / expression.
They were following it strictly without regard to Christian teaching.
To Paul Christ died in order to destroy the sin which was imbedded in the law making the law useless.
The law was being followed without love.
The law could not save them instead they needed faith in Christ to receive salvation.
He stressed that sticking to the law was like going to Paganism/ slavery which they had overcome through baptism.
The law was discriminative between Jews and gentiles, men and women etc.
Strictness to the law was discouraging people from joining Christianity especially the issue of circumcision.
Paul shows that those who are under the law are under a curse since everybody was expected to follow all laws which were difficult (Petty laws) .
He uses the example of himself to show that devotion to the law had made him sinful to the extent persecuting the church but through faith in christen he was put right with Christ.
He expresses that the covenant faith is universal and was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, this is against the covenant of law made with Jews on Mt. Sinai.
Paul showed that Abraham was justified by faith not the law yet he lived before the law.
Prevention of Crimes
Formal institutions
Criminal courts which convict people who have committed criminal offences such as robbery civil courts which deal with civil nature of crimes such as land disputes. The police; it detects, Prevents, arrests and presents them to court of law. All these use the law put in place (written).
Informal
Threats e.g. fear of demotion, dismissal from the job can prevent one from committing crimes such as embezzlement of public funds.
Superstition e.g. a belief that if one commits incest / adultery can be struck by lightening, bad diseases / dreaded skin disease or have his organs rapped in the female organ through witchcraft e.g. among the Banyole.
Negative sanctions e.g. isolation, banishment from committing certain crimes.
Other ways
Providing employment to avoid idleness.
Start community based projects in villages to reduce on migration of youth to urban areas.
Moral rehabilitation programmes on behalf of government through schools, churches, clubs etc.
Respect of human rights and dignity; offering people freedoms of association, assembly, speech etc.
Instituting democratic governance so as to reduce criminal activities of politically oppressed groups.
Openness and willingness to sit and air out differences.
Follow Christian teaching and through preaching of the gospel. Giving amnesty to rebels, presidential pardons.