Social problems are those that have a significant impact on a large number of people in a society. The general public may be affected in a limited or extensive way depending on their local or global focus. As a result, social issues are a collection of difficulties that are becoming more complex and difficult for an individual to manage. Although they might be somewhat under your control, there is no connection between your control and any effects. The problems in society are therefore ongoing and unsolvable as a result (Huhn & Warnecke-Berger, 2016). As a result, there may be little progress made toward their eradication as they are passed down from one generation to the next. In this writing, therefore, I will focus on the social issue, its history, the prevalence, people most affected and the effects it has had on the society and its current effects in Kansas City area.
Violent Crime
The social issue that I have chosen is violent crime. Violent crime mainly consists of four offenses: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. My primary focus will be an offence in the United States and its progression to the current generation. Crime in the United States has been recorded since the colonization days. Research about the history of crime points out that violent crime comes a long way since the thirteenth century. There is clear emphasis that crime has progressively taken root in the society with increased knowledge and master of how law enforcement deals with crime as well as the societal motive towards crime (In Maxwell & In Blair, 2015).
Therefore it can be said that crime has had a long history which has had it graduate from certain historical times too with the advance in time. Historically, the violent crime occurred through the mass action of gangs in the society. Youths of a particular race would come up together and form groups which would be terrorizing people by forcefully taking what is theirs from them. The concept of operation in gangs was seen as a mastery of power which attracted many youths to engage themselves in group activities. This saw different regions having groups that dominated the area (In Ponsaers, In Crawford, In Maillard, In Shapland & In Verhage, 2013). Therefore there was a single ring in some areas, and no two gangs would operate in such an area. The gang formation occurred as a result of poverty among a certain class of people or to counter discrimination and oppression by a certain class of individuals.
In addition to this, the history of violent crime has been linked to the aspects of poverty in the society. The crime was historically associated with people from poor backgrounds. Due to their poverty stricken foundations, they were not able to sustain their lives morally and therefore would end up in engaging in crime and other assault actions to gain something for their families. The reason why crime has been associated with particular groups in the society is due to the background poverty that has been linked to the people. For instance, most of the crime in the United States since time immemorial has been associated with black people. The reason for this is that the blacks have been subjected to poverty and discriminative aspects that render them with no option other than joining up against the whites and their fellow blacks to survive (Siegel, 2013).
Moreover, crime history has also been linked to impulsive violence among its perpetrators. Some people have been known to be naturally violent in their mannerisms. Due to disrespect to social norms and living morals, these people have been known to engage in crime due to disrespect motives natural law notwithstanding (Huhn & Warnecke-Berger, 2016). Several figures have a long standing history I crime with no significant reason for their engagement in crime. Therefore the desired conclusion is that the people mainly engaged in crime to test and provoke the rule of the society in an effort of finding their respective grounds and reputation in the community.
More into this, the intensity of violent crime has increased with the introduction and availability of drugs in the society. More so, this has intensified with the growing abuse of drugs among the youth. Due to drug addiction, it is significant that the abuser does not think straight and therefore the desire to possess what is not theirs. Moreover, the need to buy drugs forced many of the youths who were abusing drugs to engage in violent crime to get money to buy the drugs. Coupled with the high rate of unemployment where many teens remained entirely unemployed, there was much pressure for them to find a way of getting money to supplement their drug’s needs. Intensified by their youthfulness and peer influence, many youths were forming bully gangs which graduated to criminal gangs engaging in illegal activities with violence (In Maxwell & In Blair, 2015).
Furthermore, with the industrial revolution occurrence, many parents were neglecting their parental duties as many engaged themselves in economic production. As a result of this, there was massive poor parenting among families (In Ponsaers, In Crawford, In Maillard, In Shapland & In Verhage, 2013). As a result of this, many of the youths had no guidance and therefore ended up in crime due to bad influence and environmental forces.
Current Research and Conversations Regarding Crime
Current research on violent crime has discerned a lot about the society we are living in. A lot has been associated with the present state of violent crime in the society. Various aspects have been linked to the attributes of violent crime in the present living. These issues include environmental forces, technological advancement, radical cooperation, political influence discriminative actions and regionalism among others. All these have been attributed to some extent in the progress of violent crime in today’s living (Siegel, 2013).
Research shows that regionalism is a primary cause of and facilitation of violent crime in the current society. Some regions in the world have been associated with crime and all sorts of violence such that they have embraced it. For instance, the Pakistan region is known to be a home of home grown criminals who are ready to engage in any violent criminal activities. As a result of this, there is the regional enmity associated with the region which makes the people not to turn back but progress with their criminal badge assignation. Due to this mentality, it is not possible to end crime since it is passed from one generation to another mostly through religion and traditions that govern the community in such regions (Huhn & Warnecke-Berger, 2016).
In addition to this, racism has been painted to be a significant push for great crime advancement. Due to racism, there is profound discrimination against certain races in the society resulting to enmity. To avenge for the discriminative treatment they get from the society, such groups of people decide to quench their anger in violent crime (In Maxwell & In Blair, 2015). A good example is the American black race. As a result of the discrimination that they are treated with, they have entirely indulged into violent crime where they do not care about their white fellow citizens. The social aspect of discrimination is, therefore, is being attributed to the continued increase in violent crime.
Moreover, the educational basis is seen as a major contributor to violent crime occurrence. Due to the technicalities that have been incorporated in the education system, there is the continued existence of school dropouts. Many of these drop out due to harsh treatment in the institutions that they are studying in mainly due to racial and cultural bias. The result is that they leave school with bitterness that they later opt to quench in crime. Having felt the effects of discrimination in the institutions, they come out determined to avenge for what they have gone through and what their community members are going through in the big society. The main drive here is the aspect of revenge which can only be achieved through violent crime (In Ponsaers, In Crawford, In Maillard, In Shapland & In Verhage, 2013).
Additionally, research also shows that increased availability and accessibility of guns is a major drive to increased violent crime. The society has been fluxed with guns and firearms that are at a reachable angle by anyone. In our current living, many people are involved in gun and firearms trade which makes the guns available for criminals. To crown it up, political incitements provide a conducive basis for involvement in violent crime. Many of the political aspects are racially inclined in many states (Siegel, 2013). Due to this, a lot of political influence is felt through violence. Therefore crime is facilitated through political drive where particular groups of people are targeted. Due to this violent crime intensification continues to gnaw at the society.
Impact of Violent Crime in Kansas City Area
Kansas City has been associated with numerous violent crime for a very long time. In fact, the rates of violent crime in this city have reduced after the launch of “No Crime Alliances in Kansas” in 2013. The area had been known to be a home of massive homicide occurrences and street gang violence that had been terrorizing the people for quite long. Due to the long-term existence of violent crime in the city, there has been a lot of social effects and challenges resulting to aspects of fear, tension, and mistrust within the city. This has led to the decline in people’s production which has adversely affected the city’s development (Huhn & Warnecke-Berger, 2016).
Violent crime in the city has imposed actual economic costs on the victims who survive as well as families for those who lose their lives, in loss of earnings as well as physical and emotional tolls. Due to the aspect of violent crime in Kansas City, there is increased poverty among the people living within. The reason for this is that the productive activities are conducted with fear and anticipation of violence at any time. Most of the productive forces in the city are shifting their basis to more secure cities where there is not the threat of violent criminal activities.
More into this, violent crimes in Kansas City have imposed substantial costs on the community through lower property values, higher insurance premiums and reduced investments since the city are termed to be a high crime area (In Maxwell & In Blair, 2015). As a result of high crime anticipation, the insurance companies demand high insurance premiums on the property that the residents insure due to the likelihood of the offence occurring resulting in damage and loss. Due to this, there is small production in the city intensifying the effects of poverty and underdevelopment.
Furthermore, the implication of violent crime imposes significant costs on taxpayers. The reason for this is that they bear the financial burden of maintaining the police personnel and operations that are directed at eliminating crime in the city. Moreover, they are also implicated in the generation of money for running courts, jails and prisons oriented towards these crimes and their perpetrators. Based on this foundation, therefore, violent crime is taking a toll on the people who are living in the Kansas City. This is due to the implications that are having on their social life as a result of living in fear and suspicion. Additionally, it is leading to the increased poverty of the people residing in the city, and the massive unemployment reported there. Many of the investors are evading the city due to the fear of their businesses. They have not trust on the progress of their businesses in the town due to the insecurity associated with it. Therefore they end up taking their businesses elsewhere depriving the people of the city employment opportunities (In Ponsaers, In Crawford, In Maillard, In Shapland & In Verhage, 2013).
In conclusion, violent crime as a social issue poses great disadvantages for many people in the society. Having existed for such a long time, the issue is deemed to be an eternal societal problem. The reason for this is that it is continuously advancing with the current developments in technology and new directives. The issue is therefore not only associated with the minorities in the society but also the elite and people holding significant positions in the society. As a result of this, therefore, it might become entirely impossible to eradicate the aspect of violent crime in the society. Violent crime is costly for individuals, government and other public bodies and agencies that are involved in its fight. The mission is now to improve policy and decision making through research and analysis for sound decision making and improve risk assessment tools (Siegel, 2013). However, significant mitigation can be achieved through efficient policy formulation, open participation in economic drive and elimination of the aspects of discrimination, lethal arms availability and accessibility as well as simplify the educational criterion and marginalization of regions and certain races which are the primary drivers in intensifying violent crime in the society.
References
Huhn, S., & Warnecke-Berger, H. (2016). Politics and History of Violence and Crime in Central America. New York: Palgrave Macmillan US.
In Maxwell, S. R., & In Blair, S. L. (2015). Violence and crime in the family: Patterns, causes, and consequences.
In Ponsaers, P., In Crawford, A., In Maillard, J. ., In Shapland, J., & In Verhage, A. (2013). Crime, violence, justice and social order: Monitoring contemporary security issues.
Siegel, L. J. (2013). Criminology: Theories, patterns, and typologies. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.
The social history of crime and punishment in America. An encyclopedia. 5 vols. (2012). London: Sage Publications.
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