Crime is a contested concept and there are a range of different ways of thinking about it. One approach is that crime is a breach of the law – it’s illegal and is therefore punished. But this can be a simplistic view that ignores many aspects of crime and how it is organised.
A more nuanced way of looking at crime is to see it as a problem caused by human behaviour – an expression of our inbuilt sense of what’s right and wrong. This approach considers factors like criminal intent, harm and victimisation. It can also explore the reasons why people commit crimes, such as their early life experiences and family relationships, trauma, drug and alcohol addictions, bullying and other issues that could encourage them to behave in a particular way.
Another important aspect of crime is its relationship to public fear and the ways that news media can exacerbate or defuse this fear. For example, the way in which crime is reported can influence how much public concern it generates and in turn how the police respond to it.
When writing crime, it’s essential to immerse yourself in the genre – read widely to understand its conventions and cliches, as well as how other authors have developed their stories and made them their own. Unpredictability is key – readers want to be kept guessing whodunnit and to be able to turn the page on a new twist at every turn. The best writers create a sense of suspense by building character backstory, creating mystery and intrigue and avoiding cliches and predictability.
About the Author
