The debate

Assessment item 1:

A discussion between 3 theorists in regards to Macquarie Fields Riot 2005 in the Workaholic Lounge located at Heaven Street.

In the present time, it is noted how different parties react differently to social disorders. The Macquarie Fields Riots is a perfect case to be debated by the three theorists who strives in different perspectives in crime and punishment for social disorders. We have Beccaria who believes fully in social contract and the need for criminal justice system and the government, Durkheim whose specialty is the anomie and strain theory and Lombroso the author of the book The Criminal Man.

Let us be enlightened by their opinions on the Macquarie Fields Riot which took place in February 2005.


Lombroso: According to the theory of evolution, these people in Macquarie Fields could have their genealogy traced back to history of violence and criminality, although there is the possibility that because of their disadvantage and lack of nutrition and chemical imbalances which influences their mind causes them to be violent. Their disadvantages did not help with their moulding of characteristic which fit into society, what more if they inherited the criminal genes from their family line.

Beccaria: Pardon me, but their disadvantages mention has nothing to do with violence.

Lombroso: But Mr. Beccaria, if a bear were made to live like a rat, it is almost impossible… It is in the genes and chemical changes that people behave the way they are. If they have criminality or violent genes in them, they will manifest themselves under the appropriate conditioning such as what happened in Macquarie Fields.

Beccaria: In this day and age, individuals choose to live in places or country by their own accord. In Australia, there are rules and regulations that help the society to feel safe and comfortable. There are social contracts in placed for a country such as Australia. If they want to live there, they would have to abide by the laws as pledged by their citizens.

Durkheim: Could this whole situation just be a theory of anomie and strain where deregulation took placed when the law and the society did not agree on matters. The boys in Macquarie Fields are blaming the police for intrusion of their personal liberty for years where they are harassed by authorities for living being at disadvantage.

Beccaria: It is not about disadvantages! Like Mr. Carr said that there are lots of people who were brought up at disadvantage but they do not go around attacking police or starting riots. They choose to live in this society therefore they have to agree upon the laws and regulations determined by the society for the society. They could move to countries such as Iraq or some other places where violence is accepted as a cause of action but not in Australia.

Durkheim: You can’t deny that the authorities are partly to be blamed for causing this situation to flair up. It probably doesn’t involve the government as a whole but the law itself for example of how the police officers stereotyping the residences thus harassing them in unapproved methods by the law. And because they authorities are breaking their own law, the residences are just fighting for survival by their own understanding of ways to revenge or fight back to survive.

Beccaria: The police are doing their job by making sure that the public is safe. They are always allegations and rumours on the authorities.

Durkheim: Does it mean achieving public safety by harassing the residences at Macquarie Fields or having a car chase resulting death of a teenager?

Beccaria: The car chase was an accident resulted in the death of teenagers who failed to comply with the police orders after committing a crime. We definitely cannot assume that the authorities harass the residence as that is just an allegation. But we are certain that the police would have reacted to prevent further crime that would harm the society and residences by arresting suspects and offenders. Deterrence is certainly more effective than trying to patch things up after a crime occurrence.

Lombroso: I have to agree with you as there is definitely no reason for punishing certain people as it is the genes that are affecting them to criminality. To deter them from criminal acts, there is a need for education and reformation in their society which the government and authority should adopt instead of violence.

Beccaria: Genes should not be part of any influence to a person’s criminal activity or it is impossible to use that as a defence in court of law.

Lombroso: If a child should have criminality genes in them; they would be succumb to negative forces. If they have a strong positive character gene, no matter where they are brought up even in a crime spree neighbourhood, they will not be influenced. This is proven through the twin studies.

Beccaria: The external factors such as bad parenting or social influence should be the one to be blame for a person’s violent or criminal behaviour. With that said, a person is made to be able to make choices between the good and bad.

Durkheim: Individuals may commit crimes to protect a group they belong to sometimes. It is factors like the fall of societal norms or corruption in society which forces an individual to commit the crime.

Lombroso: Yes, but that does not discount the theory where genetics play as a major role in the criminal act. The external factors are considered as a trigger which activates the bad gene.

Beccaria: Look, a child doesn’t just inherit genes and be born as criminals. It is their upbringing by their family which shape their character. There is also the factor in society that shape the child’s mind and attitude.

Lombroso: I still stand by my genetics theory and as I said, external factors are just trigger for the manifestation of the violent or criminal acts.

Beccaria: I’m sure you do. Then again the only way to suppress or minimise criminal activities is to impose appropriate punishments. This method act as a prevention for crime as it plays on the human instinct to avoid pain, suffering, humiliation or discomfort.

Durkheim: It really doesn’t work if there is a weakness in the criminal justice system such as what happened at Macquarie Fields.

Lombroso: What weakness are you referring to?

Durkheim: The individualism of the authorities. I’m sure the power of discretion played a large role in the law enforcement which resulted in actions taken being one that reflect on individuals from the authority that might not be compliant to the laws and regulation of the state. This causes strain in the society which believes in the law that protects them.

Beccaria: The criminal justice system is created to maintain social control, deter and control crime. It also administers punishment to those who violate the law. Individualism has no place in the criminal justice system as it is created by the government for the people.

Durkheim: But I am sure that the criminal justice system is operated by individuals.

Beccaria: Do not forget then that the individuals are controlled by the law and legislations put in place for proper procedures and enforcement methods.

Durkheim: How then does the criminal justice system deter violence and criminal activities?

Beccaria: The government put up more laws and legislations and stringent punishment but reasonable as a measure to deter criminal activities. No person is willing to sacrifice their freedom in place of others (Beccaria, Original 1767, Reprint 1994).

Lombroso: Punishment doesn’t necessary stop crime activities. Criminals need to be identified and be stopped before they strike.

Durkheim: Prevention?

Lombroso: Yes. They can be identified. Their actions can be predicted and prevention can be in place to stop crime and violence. Criminals can be identified by their appearances such as facial features, tattoo, love sex or orgies and etcetera. By knowing that, we can stop criminals from roaming in the society.

Beccaria: I would hardly think that as an effective way of prevention of crime as we might be seeing over crowded prisons around the world with that hypothesis. Moreover, nobody can be labelled a criminal until they are proven guilty of a crime committed.

Durkheim: What do you both think about this Professor Homel critic? He is saying that rigid law and order would not make a difference in this instant.

Beccaria: Law and order is everything. An established Criminal Justice System is the key to safety and comfort in a society. I think what Professor Homel citing was just about how the community in Macquarie Fields have to establish trust with the police. They have to accept that the law and government are interested in their welfare, safety and comfort.

Durkheim: If you noticed, most of these people in Macquarie Fields were brought up at disadvantage. Most of them were raised in a home with only one parent. Their violent behaviour could be assumed to be an accepted norm in their environment for survival.

Lombroso: There is definitely the pretence of criminal gene for an individual to conform to the negative environment that easily.

Durkheim: That could be true but it is easier to understand how the society the dwell in influence and mould their characteristics.

Lombroso: In the twin study, they took a pair of twins and separate them. One of a twin who is from a criminal background was placed in a good home but grew up committing crime which proves that social influence almost has nothing to do with creating a criminal.

Durkheim: But the twin study is not an accurate reflection of the population of the world. It is just a hypothesis made with a specific sample of studies performed in a specific area. A child brought up in a run down society where being part of a clan or group is vital for survival would inherit all the negative influence in this case of Macquarie Fields. The child would accept that it is a norm to be violent in expressing fear and anger towards the authorities.

Beccaria: I guess that the majority rules in a society settings but there is also a cost for such norm accepted thus the society which is the country in a bigger picture despises such violent activities which laws against it to ensure comfort and safety. The law which is backed by the country would try to put a stop to their violence.

Durkheim: But as Professor Homel mentioned that “capital punishment is a very harsh penalty for stupid kids who do stupid things”.

Beccaria: That is true as said. In a sense, I’m sure the government has tried helping these kids. They have financial support with tax payer’s money, community support from community centres, government housing, employment assistance and etcetera. Yet, they have proven their ungratefulness and lack of regards for their society in having the ‘pity party’ on their ‘disadvantages’. With that I’m sure any government or country would be frustrated and impose harsher lessons on them especially if they threaten the safety and comfort of a society.

Lombroso: Putting the criminals and violent people away is definitely a positive step in ensuring public safety.

Beccaria: It is not just putting them away. It is making sure that they understand the social contract of their society and the consequences of breaking the contract.

Durkheim: This is done through punishments?

Beccaria: Yes. The Criminal Justice System caters for reformation of an offender. This includes the application of laws and regulations that imposes punishment which serves as a reinforcement of the social contract of a country in which the offenders live in.