What is a Crime?

An action committed or omitted, which constitutes an offence and is punishable by law,

is a crime. Crime is an unlawful act that is forbidden and punished by the State or the
law. In other words, anything which is injurious to public welfare is a crime.
A crime is an offence that merits community condemnation and punishment, usually by
way of fine or imprisonment. This is different from a civil wrong (a tort), which is an
action against an individual that requires compensation or restitution.
Criminal offences are normally prosecuted by the State or the Commonwealth, whereas
it is usually up to an individual to take a civil action to court. It is also possible for an
individual to begin criminal proceedings, but this is very rare.
Some matters, such as assault, can be both crimes and civil wrongs at the same time.
The police can prosecute for assault and the victim can take civil action to recover
money (or some other kind of compensation) for any injury suffered.
Generally speaking, crime is a human conduct that society generally disapproves of. But
in the modern sense, crime is any act that is prohibited by the penal law in force, and the
result of thus is punishment.
Definition of Crime According to Renowned Jurists
• According to Bentham, “offences are whatever the legislature has prohibited for
good or for bad reasons.”

• According to Austin, “a wrong which is pursued at the discretion of the injured

party and his representatives is a civil injury; a wrong which is pursued by the
sovereign or his subordinates is a crime.”

• According to Paul W. Tappen, “an intentional act or omission in the violation of

criminal law, without justification and sanctioned by the law as felony or
misdemeanour.”

• Blackstone has defined crime in his “Commentaries on The Laws of England.” He

defined it as “an act committed or omitted in violation of a public law either
forbidding or commanding it.” He also defined crime as “violation of the public
rights and duties due to the whole community, considered as a community, in its
social aggregate capacity.” The editor of Blackstone, Stephen, has made slight
changes in the definition and presented it as “a crime is a violation of a right,
considered in reference to the evil tendency of such violation as regards the
community at large.”

• According to Stephen, “crime is an act forbidden by law and which is at the same
time revolting to the moral sentiments of the society.”

• According to Kenny, “crimes are wrongs whose sanction is punitive and is in no

way remissible by any private person; but is remissible by crown alone, if
 remissible at law.” (Here, the word ‘sanction’ means punishment, and the word
‘remissible’ means to pardon by a crown.)

Observation:
From the above definitions, it can be said that there is no constant definition of crime.
Each jurist has defined the crime differently according to their views and opinions. Also,
due to the varying nature of the content of crime, all efforts to define crime with
perfection have failed.
• According to Terence Morris, “crime is not absolute like sin, that can be defined
and have an existence beyond the limits of what men may say and do. It is
essentially a relative definition of behaviour that is constantly undergoing
change.“

Essential Elements of Crime

The main elements that make up a crime are:
• A human being
• Evil intent or guilty mind on the part of a human being. (Mens rea)
• Any act committed or omitted in accordance with the evil intent and is forbidden
by law. (Actus reus)
• Injury
1. Human Being
The first element of a crime is a human being. Any wrongful act to be called a crime
must be done by a human being. There must be a human being under a legal obligation
to act in a particular way, and it must also be capable of being punished.
2. Mens Rea
The second essential element of a crime is mens rea or guilty mind or evil intent. Mens
rea refers to the mental element that is necessary for a particular crime. Any wrongful
act committed by a human being cannot be called a crime if committed without evil
intent. There must be an evil intent while doing an act.
There is a well known maxim– ‘Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea.’ It means
‘the act itself does not make a man guilty unless his intentions were so.’ From
this maxim, there came another maxim- ‘actus me invito factus non est mens actus,’
which means ‘an act done by me against my will is not my act at all.’
3. Actus Reus
The third element of the crime is actus reus. The criminal intent to be punishable must
be obvious in some voluntary act or omission. As per Kenny, ‘actus reus’ is such a result
of human conduct as the law seeks to prevent. The act committed must be one that is
forbidden or punished by the law.
An act also includes omissions. A man is also held liable if some duty is imposed upon
him by law, and he omits to discharge that duty. An omission must be a breach of a legal
duty.
4. Injury
Injury is the last important, or we can say the essential element of a crime. It must be
caused illegally to another human being or a body of individuals or society at large.
‘Injury’ has been defined in section 44 of the Pakistan PenalCode as ‘any harm whatever
illegally caused to any person in body, mind, reputation or property.’
However, there can be some crimes that may not cause any injury to anybody. For
example, if you drive a vehicle without a driving license, it is a crime, even if it does not
cause any injury to someone.

CATEGORIES OF CRIMES
Although there are many kinds of crimes, criminal acts can generally be divided into five
primary categories: crimes against a person, crimes against property, inchoate crimes,
statutory crimes, and financial crimes.
1. Crimes Against a Person
Crimes against a person are those that result in physical or mental harm to another
person. They can be divided into two main categories, forms of homicide and other
violent crime and homicide. Where the physical harm to another individual is so severe
that it causes death, a defendant may be charged with any one of several types of
homicide.
Crimes against a person often carry the steepest penaltie.
• assault and battery
• arson
• child abuse
• domestic abuse
• kidnapping
• rape and statutory rape
2. Crimes Against Property
Crimes against property typically involve interference with the property of another
party. Although they may involve physical or mental harm to another, they primarily
result in the deprivation of the use or enjoyment of property. Many property crimes are
theft crimes, including burglary, larceny, robbery, auto theft and shoplifting.
3 . Inchoate Crimes
Inchoate crimes refer to those crimes that were initiated but not completed, and acts
that assist in the commission of another crime. Inchoate crimes require more than a
person simply intending or hoping to commit a crime. Rather, the individual must take
a “substantial step” towards the completion of the crime in order to be found guilty.
Inchoate crimes include aiding and abbeting, attemp and conspiracy. In some cases,
inchoate crimes can be punished to the same degree that the underlying crime would be
punished, while in other cases, the punishment might be less severe.

4 .Statutory Crimes
Statutory crimes include those crimes, in addition to the crimes discussed above, which
are proscribed by statute. Three significant types of statutory crimes are alcohal related
crimes, drug crimes, traffic offences and financial/white color crimes These crimes are
specifically prohibited by statute because society hopes to deter individuals from
engaging in them. Alcohol-related crimes include a variety of offenses regarding how
and where alcohol can be consumed.

5 .Financial and Other Crimes

Finally, financial crimes often involve deception or fraud for financial gain. Although
white-collar crimes derive their name from the corporate officers who historically
perpetrated them, anyone in any industry can commit a white-collar crime. These
crimes include many types of fraud and blackmail, embezzlement,money londering, tax
invaion and cyber crime.
THE IMPACTS OF CRIME ON SOCIETY
Crime is one of the biggest problems of our society which we are constantly facing along
with its negative effects, such as;

1) The social injustice to the crime victims which leads to unfair acquittal of the
criminals.

2) Unwanted social violence which become the hindrance in the path of social
development.

3) Fear among the population.

4) The harm of the social peace which is not at all beneficial for any nation.

5) Unwanted and inhuman deaths of the crime victims which cause a great and
permanent loss to the victim's family.

And many more.

How to control crime in Pakistan.

Controlling crime is a major challenge for many countries, including Pakistan. Pakistan
is facing various types of crimes, including terrorism, robbery, burglary, kidnapping,
and many others. The government and law enforcement agencies are continuously
taking steps to control crime in Pakistan, but there is still a long way to go. In this essay,
I will discuss some ways to control crime in Pakistan.
1. Strengthening the Criminal Justice System
One of the most important steps in controlling crime in Pakistan is to strengthen the
criminal justice system. This can be achieved by introducing new laws and improving
the existing ones. The government should ensure that the laws are properly enforced
and that the criminals are brought to justice. The judiciary system should be transparent
and efficient, and the police should be well-trained and equipped to handle criminal
activities.
2. increase the Number of Police Officers
Another way to control crime in Pakistan is to increase the number of police officers.
The current ratio of police officers to citizens in Pakistan is one of the lowest in the
world. This means that there are not enough police officers to patrol the streets and
maintain law and order. The government should recruit more police officers and provide
them with proper training and equipment.
3. Use of Technology
Technology can play an important role in controlling crime in Pakistan. The government
should invest in modern technology to help the police force. This includes installing
CCTV cameras in public places, using facial recognition software, and developing crime
mapping systems. The use of technology can help identify criminals and deter them
from committing crimes.
4. Community Policing
Community policing is an effective way to control crime in Pakistan. It involves building
partnerships between the police and the community to prevent crime. The police should
work closely with the local communities and involve them in identifying potential
criminals. The community should also be encouraged to report any suspicious activities
to the police.
5. Addressing Socio-economic Issues
Socio-economic issues, such as poverty and unemployment, contribute to the high crime
rate in Pakistan. The government should take steps to address these issues by providing
job opportunities and social welfare programs. This can help reduce the number of
people who turn to crime as a means of survival.
6. Public Awareness Campaigns
Public awareness campaigns can also be effective in controlling crime in Pakistan. The
government should launch campaigns to educate the public about the consequences of
crime and the importance of following the law. This can help create a culture of law-
abiding citizens who do not tolerate criminal activities.
In conclusion, controlling crime in Pakistan is a complex and challenging task. It
requires a comprehensive approach that involves strengthening the criminal justice
system, increasing the number of police officers, using technology, implementing
community policing, addressing socio-economic issues, and launching public awareness
campaigns. The government and law enforcement agencies must work together to
implement these strategies and make Pakistan a safer place to live.
CONCLUSION:
The word crime has been mentioned in the PPC as offence. PPC define different offences
in the Act and give their interpretations further it also provides their punishments and
their different penalties to curb the crime in the country. It is the duty of state to
maintain peace in the country and provide the subjects with perfect leisure and the
protection. Ten different kinds of punishments have been defined by the PPC in the Act.
• Qisas
• Diyat
• Arsh
• Daman
• Tazir
• Death
• Life imprisonment
• Imprisonment which may be Rigorous or simple
• Forfeiture of property
• Fine