Crime is as old as the concepts of justice and law themselves. As humanity, we developed the notion of crime alongside these concepts. There is no such thing as crime in nature; there are only natural flows and cycles. We are the only animal species to possess concepts such as crime, justice, good, evil, morality, and equality. As a result, we are also the only beings on Earth who experience the emotional state we call the “psychology of guilt.” Fundamentally, behaviors classified as crimes though nonexistent emerged due to centuries of suffering, collapse, and destruction, and were shaped by deeply rooted moral norms of societies. People growing up in a society where they witness others being punished for certain acts do not need to memorize criminal law to know what crime is; they internalize it. For this reason, individuals who commit crimes often undergo not only legal punishment but also a profound internal moral reckoning. When a person internalizes their actions, recognizes the harm they’ve caused, and falls into a state of emotional disturbance as a result, we call this the psychology of guilt.
This state can lead to intense physiological and psychological symptoms: chronic tension, insomnia, tremors, self-harm, avoidance behaviors, need for approval, low self-esteem, and even suicidal thoughts. In Crime and Punishment, the character Raskolnikov is a classic portrayal of a man suffering from guilt. Insomnia, tension, withdrawal, tremors, and fever spells frequently seen in Raskolnikov ultimately lead to a desire to punish himself, and he confesses to the murder by turning himself in to the police. As an instinctive tendency, humans seek to be punished and pay penance for their sins, believing this will allow them to return to a pure and clean version of themselves. Yet in reality, every experience changes, transforms, and shapes us. While it may be possible to overcome the guilt caused by crime, every event leaves a mark on a person, and expecting to erase that mark is unrealistic.
So why do people choose to commit crimes despite knowing the severe moral, social, and legal consequences? Why is crime still so widespread?
While some studies suggest a genetic predisposition toward criminal behavior, this alone is no longer considered a sufficient explanation. A single gene cannot determine criminality. Although criminals may exhibit a genetic tendency toward crime, the evidence is insufficient, and ultimately, the decision belongs to the individual’s free will. That’s why genetic predisposition is not considered a mitigating factor in court. A person is responsible for controlling their tendencies.
The psychological approach to crime, supported by research, is gaining more acceptance. This approach asserts that crime, like all behaviors, is learned. The environment in which a person is raised shapes their personality and their perspective on crime. A behavior seen as crime by general societal standards might be perceived as perfectly normal in the environment where a child grows up this alone can be enough to produce a criminal. We know that in many so-called ghettos, crimes such as murder are much more normalized within the culture. Someone raised in such an environment may have a vastly different perception of murder.
Some theories, as also reflected in Crime and Punishment, argue that class disparities and social inequality drive people to commit crimes. Undoubtedly, a significant number of crimes committed every day around the world are motivated by such factors. In many cases, this approach holds. However, from a broader perspective, we see that social inequality does not necessarily affect crime rates. While the nature of crime may change, the rate at which people commit crimes remains nearly the same in both highly unequal and relatively egalitarian societies. In other words, the proportion of people deviating from social norms and committing crimes stays the same only the types of crimes differ based on societal parameters.
Given this, are we to conclude that crime is an inherent part of human nature that we cannot erase? Must crime necessarily continue to exist? While we may not yet know whether its existence is essential or justified, psychodynamic theory suggests that humans are drawn to that which is socially taboo and strictly forbidden. Societies label potentially destructive acts as crimes, but the individual’s subconscious often harbors a desire to break those very rules. Because crime is artificial and has no equivalent in nature. For example, there is no concept of murder in nature, as the killing of one species by another is a part of the natural order and is not problematic. Human beings, who have constructed themselves around abstract concepts like morality, punishment, law, justice, state, and society none of which exist in nature secretly long to return to their primitive and instinctual roots. This is one reason why crime and criminals persist, no matter how advanced a society becomes.
Considering all these conditions and approaches, legal and penal systems must be delicately balanced and we are still far from achieving that balance. When a person is punished for a crime, all relevant perspectives should be taken into account. The situation must be carefully analyzed as a psychological case and treated accordingly.