Crimes: Look at any of the newspapers, anywhere and in any language, and you will find the papers full of news about all types of crimes perpetrated by different types of people, almost everywhere. The electronic media vies with each other in picking up the minutest details of criminal acts, and they keep harping about the details and updates almost all the time. In the good old days, small thefts, burglaries and robberies were common crimes. These are now overshadowed by extortion, loot and arson, rapes and murders and all-embracing socio-economic and political crimes. Some of the crimes are heinous and ruthless acts. Perpetrators of the crimes may be individuals, groups of individuals, fanatics and fundamentalists and deeply frustrated people. Even small thefts disturb the peace of the people. Mugging on the streets leads to a widespread sense of insecurity. Ladies and children are more prone to small time crimes. Reading about the crimes everyday in the news papers or listening to the stories on radio and television and gossiping about the crimes on social networks, gradually takes the sting out of it and the people get used to seeing or listening to such news without any jolt to their concerns, conscience or emotions.
There is no dearth of available criminal laws and criminal procedure codes, still there is an incessant feeling almost everywhere, to have more stringent laws for handling the genie of crimes.
Crimes and the law: Anything punishable under the law is crime. This appears to be a very simple and all embracing definition. However, the common man has his own perceptions about what he should do and keeps doing it. In most cases, a well meaning person is likely to be on the right side of the law. But in some cases, he may not be in agreement with the provisions of the law and may be inclined to ignore it or break it. Some of the all time greats have passed through such situations and following the knockings of their conscience, they have preferred to ignore the law or in some cases, opted to break the law. It is here, that, the Pandora’s box got some knockings on the lid and all types of vermins had a hay day and could be seen flying freely. To-day, almost all countries of the world have their own quota of dissenters, demonstrators, agitators and hooligans, who are always in the lookout for embarrassing and destabilizing the establishment. In most cases, they are thoroughly organized and masquerade under populist titles. Naturally, the establishment or administration, which is normally involved in providing safety, security, and other essential services to the people, is forced to divert its attention and resources for containing the agitation and at the same time, for minimizing the adverse impact of the agitation on the general public.
Criminality: Nobody is a born criminal. Nobody likes to be a criminal. But, everybody is not a saint either. There are times in the lives of all people, when they stare with blank faces on the crossroads. Normally, left to himself, every common man will like to keep moving on a hassle-free path. Perhaps, in the good old days, that was possible and most of the people led simple, happy and satisfying lives. With the bulging numbers, cut-throat competition and an unending struggle for finding a place under the sun, the stakes are taking quantum jumps. These days, the world is full of all types of contradictions. You can see simple, innocent looking people, who ultimately turn out to be hardened criminals. There are rampant stories of common people being beaten up publicly on open streets and lynched to death, blow by blow. Mother strangulating her daughter, husband killing his wife and vice versa, boys throwing acids on women in utter frustration and getting involved in all types of heinous acts on women. The frequency of public demonstrations and agitations getting violent is on the rise. Burning and damaging private and public property and disrupting normal traffic, peace and tranquility have become common affairs. All these are manifestations of fast moving trends of criminality. Anything which hurts is crime and the obsession of the people for perpetrating crimes in frustration or for retribution or taking it up as a job for profit or career is criminality.
Victim and the justice system: Whenever, there is an incidence of crime, all out efforts are made to apprehend the culprits, putting them through the process of law and to punish them in an appropriate manner. So far so good. The apprehension of getting caught, judicial custody and nerve raking investigations and examinations followed by harsh punishments are reasonable deterrents for normal people to scare them away from any type of allurement and association leading to the perpetration of crimes. As for the victims, there is no such thing as a justice system, which can do justice to them. If a man is mauled and beaten to death, he is gone and nobody can provide any succor, solace or justice to him. The physical and psychological impacts of criminal violence and indignities are irreversible and the victims are left with no options, but to live with the hurt, pains and wounds for the rest of their lives with their mouth and emotions shut. Usually, public announcements are made for help and financial support to the next of kin and dependents of the victim. These help in alleviating some suffering, but scars remain to serve as reminders of the travesty of the justice system.
Men and the Animals: Look at the birds flying in the skies in meticulous formations in fine weather, soaring high up in the air, with all the gaiety and exuberance, without bumping into each other. Look at the herds of animals moving freely in the forests, jumping and frolicking with gay abandon, without locking horns. Look at any of the living creations of nature, big and small, forming self sustaining communities of their own, on land and sea and almost everywhere in the remotest corners and crevices of the earth. They have languages of their own to communicate with each other. They have censors for development of awareness with the environment and fore-warning them from possible dangers and perhaps they have their own laws to act, react and interact with each other. Bunched to-gather, they are dubbed as animals and lowly creatures.
Incidentally, the man carries the mantle of a rational animal. While, the rationality of men is substantially controversial, it seems that the rationality of animals has not been properly understood. During the last century the world has changed beyond recognition. Fast pace of development has created new benchmarks and there is a mad race for better and something better. Multinationals, skyscrapers, globe trotters and a fast growing crop of young millionaires and billionaires can be seen almost everywhere. Power and more power are the code words. In the process, the dividing line between right and wrong has lost its lustre and long cherished dreams of a happy and hassle-free world, free from the virus of crimes and criminality continue to be distant dreams for the common man.
Conclusion: Conflicts and contradictions, right and wrong, good and evil have been playing hide and seek with the people since times immemorial. To-day the world is beset with all types of problems. Fast pace of development, vested interests and ruthless exploitation of the bounties of nature have pushed everything to the brink and even normal functioning of life on the planet is at stake. Man made machines and technology have placed almost everything on the finger tips of man and in the process man has gradually lost contact with basic elements of nature and all relationships between man and man have lost their meaning. Crimes and criminal activities are being exploited freely for self interest and advancement. Criminals and tainted people have seeped into the society at almost all social and political levels and form part of a large section of the elite. The stark question is, whether it is possible to do away with the crimes and criminals and build a society free from all types of crimes and criminality. The hope against hope is that in spite of all the chaos, an overwhelming majority of people prefer to associate with happy and satisfied people, flashing some sort of glow on their faces, rather than with people wearing blank faces and living under the shadows of crimes and criminality. All types of crimes and criminal tendencies flourish with the passive and tacit support of silent majority of well meaning people and till they are able to muster sufficient voice, crime and criminals shall continue to make hay and disrupt all that is good in life.