Topic:

Crime
Part 1 + 3
1. Should young criminals be sent to prison for committing crimes?
Well it depends on the intention of the minor, because sometimes young ones
are not really aware of what they are actually doing and they may have been led
astray (=misled) by someone or they may commit a crime by accident.
Moreover, they would suffer huge mental stress, and the chances are they will
reoffend as they will just learn how to be a better criminal in prison.
2. What do you think makes people commit acts of violent crime?
Well, crimes have different motivations. Some are committed out of desperation
and others are crimes of passion. In other words, they are spur-of-the-moment
offenses that had no forethought. Then there are other crimes that are definitely
pre-meditated. These are the worst ones and probably the hardest to pin down in
terms of motivation. In any case, it is hard to say what makes people do these
things, except that it depends entirely upon the individual case.
3. Do you think that video games encourage young people to commit
crimes?
No, absolutely not, and the scientific consensus nowadays appears to back that
stance. The idea that video games encourage people to commit crimes is
laughable. If this was true, we would have to go and censor TV and books, and
even change how we report the news. People who are going to commit crimes
do so for a variety of reasons, but to suggest that they do it to imitate a game is
quite absurd. If someone really did claim that their crime was inspired by a
computer game, they would probably be lying or else they had underlying
mental issues that made them particularly susceptible to outside influences.
 4. How technology can help tackle crime?
The police can use technology to get digital fingerprints, and analyze them in
a database, and so this helps them identify criminals.
By using CCTV cameras we can deter people from committing crimes
because they know they will be seen and probably caught Police use face
recognition, and motion and sensor technology to tackle certain crimes.
Algorithms on social media can be used to tackle cyber bullying.
Technology can help tackle crime by assisting the authorities to collect
information about criminals effectively and efficiently to support their
investigation of a crime.
I read an article about that some police forces are using AI technologies to
assess the potential threat of an arrested suspect to society and if they should
be kept in custody (=kept in prison before their trial) or released on bail
(released from prison before their trial happens by payment of a sum of
money).
5. Is the crime rate nowadays lower than in the past?
Some crimes have been reduced but others, like cybercrime have popped up
(=suddenly appeared) in recent years.
It depends which crimes we are talking about. If we are talking about violent
crimes, there doesn’t seem to have been much change, but many property
crimes, like burglary have certainly decreased because home security is much
better than before. Crime rates have fallen in many cities due to increased CCTV
coverage, and because there are more policemen patrolling the streets. Well, if
you listen to the politicians, then yes, the crime rate appears to be lower, but I
am not sure we can always believe what we hear. I’d say the crime rate has
increased in many places due to widespread use of the Internet which makes it
easier for criminals to reach their victims. For instance, child predators can stalk
minors via the Internet, and also some people may commit identity fraud
without leaving any trace

6. What do you think the most common crime in your country is?
Vietnam being such a vast country there are so many crimes that are slowly
becoming common. But, I think eve teasing is the most common crime our
country witnesses. In the eyes of law, it might not be a very big crime, but as an
individual it kills away your right to freely moving with self-respect intact. Most
of the times, the women that get raped are the ones that were eve teased by the
same criminal.

Should police in your country be stricter or less strict?

In my opinion, it is not about being more strict or less but more about being
smart. That is very important. They need to realize ways to stop crime rather
than bringing out difficult punishments for the criminals, because we don’t want
more of criminals dying but less of individuals becoming criminals.

Is your country a safe country?

Too an extent yes it is. When we look at the world picture, comparatively it is
safe. But, on an individual level, I think it is not a very safe country, especially
for women. There have been lot of improvement in the state to ensure that the
women of the country are safe, but in my opinion, there is so much more that
needs to be done.

Have you ever seen a crime? 

I have never seen crime happening in front of my eyes, but yes, there have been
videos and newspapers that I have gone through. And if eve teasing is
considered a crime, yes I would say I have witnessed it.

Do you think criminals can change?

Criminals in my opinion, can change. Because, it more of the situations that
make a criminal. And if the situation of an individual can be changed and
education be imparted, criminals can definitely change. But, then there are some
psychopaths and innate criminals who cannot be changed. For them, I think the
best option is to either give them medical treatment or put them behind bars.

Is shoplifting common in your country?

Shoplifting is very common in my country and especially if you are travelling in
the local trains or buses which are often jam packed with people. Criminals in
my country are so smart, that most of the times who don’t even realize that you
have lost it, until you need the item next time.

What kind of people shoplift and what kinds of things do they steal?
I think there is no kind of a person who shoplifts. Earlier we thought that only
poor people shoplift for money, but these days even teenager in the need of
money tend to shoplift. So, there are people who steal your wallets, phones,
chains, earrings. Anything and everything that is expensive and can be sold for
exchange of money, can be shoplifted.

Does your country have a big organized crime group like the mafia?
Yes, there are parts of my country that have big organized crime groups. Like,
there is mumbai underworld that is in Mumbai, Maharahtra. There have been lot
of criminals who have headed this underworld. Then, there is D-company,
which is headed by Dawood Ibrahim with its origin in Mumbai. There are even
groups of criminals in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh.

What is the best way for police to keep neighborhoods safe?

The best way to keep neighborhoods safe is the presence of policemen. When
almost every area has a policeman standing, I think it becomes more difficult for
a crime to happen. Because, at the end, most of the criminals are beginners at
some point of time and if we are able to stop them at that moment, I think most
of the criminals can be ejected from the society.

Can you tell if a kid will grow up to be a criminal?

No, I don’t think that one can tell if a child will be a criminal or not. Because,
you never know what strikes the mind of an individual when they commit crime.
There have been cases when people have grown up in criminal families, hating
the criminal world and its violence. And then people, who had quite life, but
because of certain incidence turned out to be criminals.