Crime refers to acts by individuals or groups that go against the law.
The major types of crime include hate crime, economic crime, cybercrime, white-
collar crime, revenge crime and organized crime.
Social root causes of crime are inequality, not sharing power, lack of support to
families and neighborhoods, real or perceived inaccessibility to services, lack of
leadership in communities, low value placed on children and individual well-being,
the overexposure to television as a means of recreation.
Breakdown in societal values - The breakdown in traditional societal values is one of
the major causes of crime today. The amazing rate of modernization we see around
us has increased our quest for material things. Today, people are willing to go to
any length to acquire expensive dresses, cars, and mansions. This has,
unfortunately, led a lot of people to believe that any means to the acquisition of
material wealth is justifiable. As a result, such timeless social values as honesty,
hard work and integrity have largely been relegated to the background. No wonder,
parents, families, and even religious leaders continue to aid and abet criminal
behaviours such as embezzlement, kidnapping, internet fraud and the like.
2. Illicit Substances - Among the major causes of crime is the widespread use of
illicit substances. The abuse of substances is known to influence the abuser to
engage in criminal and anti-social behaviour. Such anti-social behaviours are often
perpetrated by individuals who have lost control of their sense of decency and
morality because of the abuse of these substances
3. Proliferation of Dangerous Instruments - Again, violence, kidnapping and banditry
are common today mainly because it has become relatively easy to acquire certain
weapons. The causes of this unfortunate development are many and complex. In
other places, the increase in conflicts has led to a situation where most youth have
easy access to dangerous implements.
4. Unemployment - Today, there are multitudes of both unemployed and
unemployable youths roaming our streets and looking unsuccessfully for something
to do to earn a living. Out of frustration and desperation, many of these individuals
join criminal gangs to rob innocent citizens at gunpoint. They have come to see
crime as the only means to survival.
5. Globalization - Crime is now organized on an international scale. Globalization
has made it easier for criminals or people with the intent to commit crimes to
connect via social media and plan their nefarious activities. The ease with which
these individuals and groups can share information and exchange ideas and acquire
illicit drugs and weapons is disturbing. Government law enforcement agencies
appear to have come to their wit’s end as to how to curb the activities of
