Anomie Society and Crime

Abstract

Recently, many forms of criminal behaviors have been reported from various parts of Sri Lanka which have been the subject of special discussion in the society. Hence, this article has been composed by identifying several criminal incidents where individual criminality and social damage were felt very intensely and combining them with a theoretical analysis. Accordingly, the unique criminal acts reported by the media in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022, in which the Sri Lankan society became a tertiary victim, can be mentioned as follows. Homicide, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Robberies, Smuggling, Cybercrimes, Road accidents, and Suicide. The relationship between anomie and crime has been analyzed, highlighting the impact of anomie theory on the origins of crime through a theoretical analysis of these crime events. In the analysis of the above criminal events, it is clear that the anarchy that is built in society has led to crimes. That is, in the breakdown or degeneration of norms, man has committed criminal behavior. As society has become more complex, human needs have become unlimited, but due to the limited resources available to meet those unlimited needs, man has entered a competitive path. Accordingly, human beings have moved away from primary relationships and focused on secondary relationships. There, the social animal who works hard mainly for the sake of earning wealth and creating a luxurious environment around him is focused on perfecting his needs, forgetting his duties, responsibility, and obligations. In the construction of this social situation, criminal behavior has been allowed to emerge.