1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910783671503321

Autore

Law Commission of Canada

Titolo

What is a crime? : defining criminal conduct in contemporary society / / edited by the Law Commission of Canada

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Vancouver : , : UBC Press, , 2004

ISBN

0-7748-5103-1

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (223 pages)

Collana

Legal dimensions series

Disciplina

364.971

Soggetti

Criminology - Canada

Criminal law - Canada

Crime - Sociological aspects

Sociological jurisprudence

Criminologie - Canada

Droit peĢnal - Canada

Sociologie juridique

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Front Matter -- Contents -- Introduction -- What Is a Crime? A Secular Answer -- Undocumented Migrants and Bill C-11: The Criminalization of Race -- Crime, Copyright, and the Digital Age -- Criminalization in Private: The Case of Insurance Fraud -- From Practical Joker to Offender: Reflections on the Concept of "Crime" -- Poisoned Water, Environmental Regulation, and Crime: Constituting the Nonculpable Subject in Walkerton, Ontario -- Contributors -- Index

Sommario/riassunto

We all have notions of what it means to commit a crime. Most of us are very much aware of the behaviours which, by law, constitute crime. Rarely, however, do we stop to consider why certain activities and behaviours are deemed criminal and others are not. What Is A Crime? examines how we define criminal conduct in contemporary society, and how we respond to it once it has been identified. Drawing from diverse scholarly traditions, including law, sociology, criminology and socio-legal studies, this rich collection of essays looks at the processes of defining crime and considers the varied and complex implications of our decisions to criminalize certain unwanted behaviour. From the



perspective of various case studies, the contributors reflect on the social processes that inform definitions of crime, criminal law, and its enforcement, while illuminating the subjective nature of crime and questioning the role of law in dealing with complex social issues. What Is A Crime? will be of interest to a broad spectrum of readers with an interest in the governance of crime and its control in contemporary society. Students and scholars of law, sociology, political science, philosophy, and criminology will find this book invaluable in furthering their understanding of the processes of defining and responding to crime and criminal behaviour. It will also hold sway with policymakers, criminal justice practitioners, and anyone with a stake in our current approaches to crime.