INTRODUCTION

Crime comes in many forms, but when you look at the criminal mentality, I think we can highlight a specific type of mind-state behind crime. Factors involve an inability to understand positive elements in life, a selfishness that de-humanises a victim, an inability to make proper moral judgments, and an innate fantasy-prone imagination. If I can prove these factors, then we could end up with a general theory of crime.
Anthony North

The following essays appear on this site:

A New Look at Sentencing - In this essay I look at the processes of sentencing to see if there is a better way to handle prisoners, balancing the need for punishment with rehabilitation.

Future Crime - Crime is not always a definite to history. Some crimes are fluid, changing, so what repercussions does this have for future crime?

It’s Abnormal To Steal - We have an understanding of normal and abnormal in society, but this is often blurred. Where does this leave theft? Indeed, is it an area philosophy has ignored?

And I Want It Now - We are plagued by petty crime. Can an answer to the problem be found in an understanding of rights and duties, by the person and the state?

Booze of the Gods - Drugs are the curse of modern society, but how truthful are the authorities about what is involved? Not very – but could the truth do more to put people off drugs?

Evil - Evil can mean many things, but a supernatural influence is perhaps not one of them. As to the answer to evil, perhaps this has been known for millenia – but has been classed as ‘evil’ itself.

The God Man - There is a recurring phenomenon in crime of the killer couple. What causes such couples to kill? And can we get to grips with a distinct psychology and sociology at work within the couple?

Towards a General Theory of Crime - Crime is a vast and contradictory area, but could it be that, within the chaos, indicators could be found to produce a general theory of crime?

Crime & Society - Is there a link between crime and a decline in religion? The history of crime seems to suggest there is. For in declining religion, we have declining morality, with liberal ethics unable to deter the criminal.

Jack the Ripper - Who was Jack the Ripper? Many candidates have been put forward over the decades, but his identity has remained illusive. Could it be because he never existed in the first place?

Media Tribe - What lies behind hooliganism and gang culture? Could the media be to blame? Further is it possible that our images within culture mimic ideas of warriordom in prehistory? If so, we have a fundamental problem – and also a unique way of understanding, and combating, crime.

Serial Killers - The serial killer is the modern bogey-man, but is it possible to find common traits within his psychology? And if it is, could we produce an overall profile of the serial killer which could allow us to undserstand what is going on?