Nature and Trends Essay

Crime and criminals have been in existence for as long as man has been. However, there is no distinct line dividing men as either being criminals or virtuous (Darrow & Baatz, 2009). Siegel (2010) defines crime as any act that is forbidden by the law of the land, and should be sufficiently serious to call for penalties for its commission. Surprisingly, punishment for a crime is not so much because the act is good or bad but due to the fact that a law has been violated. Virtually all countries of the world have varying rates and types of crimes within and sometimes across the boarders. There are in the of America and may vary from state to state (Jebb, 2011). This report will focus on crime in Virginia in terms of the nature and trends of crime in the state. These will then be compared with national trends. A historical analysis of the crime trends, peaks, valleys, and plateaus of crime trends by year will also be provided. The differences and similarities between crime trends in Virginia and national figures will be explained using relevant theories. The report will also describe and within Virginia. The to some of the in Virginia will then be suggested.