Life Course Fundamentals and Crime

Today crime rates are on the increase in the United States. According to police reports, many crimes are reported every day. Many people both adults and children have died in cold blood. In worst cases, the victims are found in a situation that is more scaring to the one intending to rescue the victim. In addition, news reporters have had a lot of cases recently on the crimes that are going on in the city. In most cases, the victims in the hard-core crimes are women and children.

In a recent case, there has been a murder case that took place between two lovers. On the night of April 11, 2011 at 02.30 am, Sarah Coit was reported dead. This was a consequence of a heated argument that changed to be violent. These were people that the community and neighbors considered intimate lovers.  According to the report of the neighbors, they did, not consider the quarrel to be serious until the young lady screamed for help. This is because of the continuous argument the two lovers had in the past. According to police reports, the couple had another argument early in January, 2011.

The incident began as a quarrel between the housemates. It was only an argument until it turned out to be death sentencing event. Violence spring out in the house of the young couple once the argument got heated up. Raul Barrera, the accused took over the situation and changed the whole scenario in to vicious stabbing. During the quarrel, a knife fell on the floor. He picked a knife that has fallen on the floor and used it to butcher his girlfriend. Witnesses say that they had the lady shout to Raul for mercy. A neighbor that heard the bloodcurdling screams from her house called the rescue line 911 for help.

The police arrived at the scene later after Sarah had passed on. The neighbors got a chance to enter the apartment and behold the scene was unbearable. The scene is described as horrific. The neck and face of the late Sarah was utterly stabbed leaving her body in a pool of blood. In addition, reports from post mortem specialist report that the skull also had signs of being hit by a blunt blow.

She later succumbed to death after her strength failed her, and died in cold blood. There were no eyewitnesses at the exact time of the crime except the neighbors that overheard the shouts of Sarah. The two lovers have had previous reports of arguments in their home. The young man turned himself to the police and confessed to have killed his lover in cold blood. His case is yet to be heard.  However, at the moment Raul is held by police but without bail.

Social disorganization theory explains this offense. Social disorganization theory describes the deviance and of such murder crimes well. The theory explains that the accused is put under pressure, to act in behaviors that are not acceptable to the society. The theory further highlights that these crimes happen when the arm of the law has loop-holes. That is law-enforcers are not fast to act or could be far from responding to any call of alarm from the victims.

According to John Willis, the theory is often related to the breaking of relationships in families, and communal institutions. The theory explains that the crimes could be due to economic effects, family set up, or social change. In the scenario above, the cause of murder could be associated with social change.

General strain theory is another theory that explains the cause of such criminal acts. It explains the differences between a criminal offense and a delinquent offense. However, General strain theory adds that the criminal offenses are done by people of low class. Hence it excludes those of higher social classes, and those with a higher economic status.