Essay on Relationship between Economic Conditions and Criminality !
Despite divergent views about relationship between economic conditions and criminality, no serious attempt has ever been made to harmonise these differences and work out an acceptable solution to the problem of crime. Therefore, it may be stated that the correlation between economic conditions and criminality is so uncertain that no definite conclusion can be drawn.
As such, there is a tendency to accept the position that economic conditions represent only a large number of environmental circumstances and it is nothing but a part of multiple factor approach to crime-causation. Criminality cannot be attributed to any one particular area of influence, namely, economic, biological, psychological, social etc., but each of them constitutes a part of a total whole.
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It may further be pointed out that adverse economic conditions do influence certain types of crimes such as the sex crimes, pathological crimes, political crimes but the entire criminality in the society cannot be attributed solely to economic phenomenon. Economic values certainly have a dominant role to play in human society but they depend on a variety of socio-cultural factors and, therefore, have only a relative significance.
Legal control on economic activities would also exert its influence on crime—economy relationship to a considerable extent. It is thus evident that neither poverty nor wealth has a major determining influence on crime and delinquency in modem society.
Bonder’s theory of economic explanation of crime fails to answer as to why people with sufficient means and resources such as millionaires, business tycoons, high officials, ministers and political leaders indulge in criminal activities such as bribery and corruption when they already possess much more than what they actually need.
In fact, it is the lust for money and craze for amassing more and more wealth which tempts them to misuse their position and power. It will not be an exaggeration to say that corruption in India has become a nation-wide problem and it is being generally resorted to in a routine manner to get the work done easily and quickly.
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The corruption in government, semi-government and public or even private enterprises at ministerial level is no secret. It is being openly practised despite the fact that both the giver and the taker know that it is an illegal act punishable under the law. The stringent penal provisions provided in the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 have failed to prevent, if not eradicate, this menace probably because of its peculiar nature that it is mutually beneficial to the parties involved in it.
It is therefore, evident that crimes of this kind have hardly anything to do with the economic or financial conditions. It basically emanates from greed and temptation for money which is inherent in human nature.
The effect of modernisation and excessive materialism has changed the very concept of crime. Therefore, there is greater influx of socio-economic crimes in the present time. They include tax evasion, hoarding, black-marketing, violation of FERA, MRTP Act (now the Competition Act, 2002), financial scams, adulteration, etc. The cyber crimes have added new dimensions to white collar criminality in the computer age of 21st Century.
The reformative measures have failed to tackle these non-traditional offences effectively and social legislations have not been able to prevent these crimes due to their ineffective enforcement. It is, therefore, necessary that with the changing patterns of criminal behaviour, more stringent laws should be enacted to bring socio-economic crimes under control.
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Despite COFEPOSA and FERA regulations in force for several years in India, there has not been any significant change in the crime index relating to smuggling and foreign exchange violations which are adversely affecting the Indian economy. The criminal law enforcement agencies should, therefore, initiate drastic measures to curb this menace.
More recently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has busted a money laundering racket involving several public sector banks spread over Calcutta, Port Blair and Chennai. It was found that public funds were being siphoned off and slashed away as fixed deposits which were created in fictitious names including Indian Cricket Captain Saurav Ganguli, noted model Milind Soman, Rhea Pillai and film-maker David Azad. So far 7.75 crore rupees have been traced laundered between February and July, 1997. This would well be the tip of the iceberg as per the CBI report handed down on May 7, 2001.
More recently, the Enforcement Directorate raided business Tycoon Hasan Ali’s Pune home and detected Income tax claims around 89000 crore rupees alleged to have been slashed away over eight billion dollars in Swiss Bank. He was served a demand notice of Rs. 71,845 crore rupees and 24% penalty thereon since the year 2000. Hasan Ali is also charged under the prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).