I am not even remotely qualified to express an opinion on crime.  Hell, I’m barely qualified to express an opinion on Seattle; I’ve only lived here a few months.

That being said, I’m good at asking questions, and the concept of crime in any society is interesting, or so I think.  I can’t explain why people do the things they do, but I would like to gain a higher understanding of what is going on in the city around me.

Photo: freefotouk

Crime is such a vague word. That’s why I’m writing this blog. I hope to explore crime in a way that eliminates some of its vagueness,  in the process gaining a better understanding of the whole concept.  Is one man’s crime another man’s method of feeding his family?  Should the person merely trying to provide for his family be seen in a different light?  What is race, and how does that factor into crime?  Is race more than just skin deep? Have we been looking at it the wrong way all along?

Webster’s Online Dictionary has about a thousand different definitions for the word, but these are a few near the top of the list;

• “Gross violation of human law, in distinction from a misdemeanor or trespass, or other slight offense. Hence, also, any aggravated offense against morality or the public welfare; any outrage or great wrong.”
• “Any violation of law, either divine or human; an omission of a duty commanded, or the commission of an act forbidden by law.”

Methinks there might be some wiggle room in these definitions, and that’s what I really want to look at.  There’s a lot to explore in Seattle, from the who, to the what, to the where.  I question who gets to decide what human law fully entails. How does morality really fit into crime?  This is America and we’re allowed to have different morals. Who’s to say one has more weight than the other?  Is there such a thing as a morally justifiable murder?
Are we, as a society failing?  Where does the real problem lie?  At what point do people begin to think that committing a “crime” is okay?

There are some types of crimes that, allegedly, don’t have victims.  What makes a victimless crime?  Does it really just depend on who you ask?
Frankly, this is going to require talking to people who know more about this than I do, and that’s where I welcome (also, I’d really, really like) any advice about where I should be poking my nose.

I’m not after right or wrong.  That’s not really for me to say. But I feel that there is a way to define the “why” a little better, which is what I hope will come out of this.