Criminological Theory
The Anomie Theory
This theory highlights how the general procedural rules of society have broken down such that individuals believe there is no reason not to take part in criminal activity (Williams & McShane 2014, p.65). Further, the theory suggests that people do not have adequate control over their moral behavior which is the reason why certain people involve themselves in criminal behavior. Humans are additionally no longer tied with the bonds of kinship and friendship but rather contractual bonds that can be broken in the face of difficulty and pressing social-economic conditions.
Relationship of the Theory with the Crime
This theory relates to the crime explained in the article whereby one can see that the criminals were only interested in selfish gain when they decided to rob the jewelry store and hijack a UPS driver. Even after police attempts to stop them after the robbery, they went on to take a man and his car hostage without thinking about how they would feel or what would emanate after the police came after them. The entire incident leads to the death of two men which should not have to happen, losses in terms of the damages that resulted from the shoot-out, a disruption in normal activities within Coral Gables, and also the robber’s death.
Elements of the Crime and Origin of Behavior
As such, the actus reus in the crime was the robbery of a jewelry store and the hijacking of a UPS driver’s vehicle. Mens rea comes up when they held the driver hostage in a bid to escape from the police officers that were after them. The criminals could then be seen to have committed the crime of first-degree kidnapping since they held the driver as a hostage. According to the anomie theory, the criminals may have been influenced by a lack of adequate finances to sustain their lifestyles which caused them to go against society’s moral code by stealing and defying the police to satisfy that need (Williams & McShane 2014, p.68).
The Conflict Theory
This theory focuses on the creation and application of criminal law, illuminating that law was created to maintain an image of consensus within society (Williams & McShane 2014, p.107). In other words, laws are only created to serve the wealthy elites within the society as they try to assert their dominance over others, exploiting them in the process. They are set to ensure that marginalized and oppressed groups remain that way, which explains why these groups turn to crime in order to survive.
Relationship of the Theory with the Crime
The conflict theory relates to the case whereby it supports the criminals’ behavior by explaining that they must have had a reason to take part in the crime. They may have been financially strained and saw that the easiest way to get money was by robbing a jewelry store. They also must have thought that the only way they could escape the police was by quickly getting away with the UPS driver’s car while holding him hostage so that police would not open fire at them.
Elements of the Crime and Origin of Behavior
Following this theory means that the actus reus and mens reus fall on the police for opening fire at the criminals who were just trying to make away with stolen goods in a broken society. They also would be seen as the ones that caused the death of the driver and the civilian for fighting back at the criminals.
References
Williams III, F. P., & McShane, M. D. (2014). Criminological theory. Pearson.
