Major shifts in crime rates have taken place over the last half century

by | Oct 20, 2024 | Essays

What major shifts in crime rates have taken place over the last half century, and what are the emerging trends we are seeing concerning future crime rates?

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Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Over the past half century, crime rates have experienced significant fluctuations. In many Western countries, there was a sharp increase in crime during the mid-20th century, peaking in the 1970s and early 1980s. However, since the early 1990s, crime rates have been on a general downward trend.  

Several factors have contributed to these shifts:
  • Socioeconomic Factors: Changes in socioeconomic conditions, such as poverty, inequality, and unemployment, can influence crime rates.

    For example, periods of economic hardship may be associated with increased crime

Over the past half century, crime rates have experienced significant fluctuations. In many Western countries, there was a sharp increase in crime during the mid-20th century, peaking in the 1970s and early 1980s. However, since the early 1990s, crime rates have been on a general downward trend.  

Several factors have contributed to these shifts:
  • Socioeconomic Factors: Changes in socioeconomic conditions, such as poverty, inequality, and unemployment, can influence crime rates.

    For example, periods of economic hardship may be associated with increased crime

  • Demographic Changes: Shifts in population demographics, such as age distribution and urbanization, can also impact crime rates. For instance, a decline in the proportion of young people, who are often associated with higher crime rates, may contribute to a decrease in overall crime.  
  • Criminal Justice Policies:

    Changes in policing strategies, sentencing guidelines, and other criminal justice policies can affect crime rates. For example, tougher sentencing laws may lead to a decrease in certain types of crime, while community policing initiatives may help to prevent crime.

  • Technological Advancements: Technological advancements, such as improved surveillance systems and forensic techniques, can make it more difficult for criminals to operate and increase the likelihood of detection and arrest.  

While crime rates have generally declined in recent decades, there are emerging trends that suggest potential future changes:

  • Cybercrime: The rise of technology has led to a surge in cybercrime, including hacking, identity theft, and online fraud.  
  • Organized Crime: Organized crime groups continue to be a significant factor in the global criminal landscape, engaging in activities such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and extortion.
  • Emerging Technologies: New technologies, such as artificial intelligence and automation, may create new opportunities for crime or change the nature of existing criminal activities.  

It is important to note that crime rates vary across different regions and countries, and there is no single explanation for these trends. Understanding the complex factors that influence crime rates is essential for developing effective crime prevention strategies.

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