Alienation from Society

When speaking of such topic as a societal alienation, one should realize that it is an example of the category that is used not only in the field of its origin. More specifically, although it was Karl Marx who developed the theory of alienation from society, now this model is used also in the field of criminology. After a brief analysis, it will become evident that the societal alienation can be treated as a reason that may push the person to commit a crime.

Generally, the model of societal alienation consists of four fundamental elements – powerlessness, meaninglessness, social isolation, and self-estrangement. Powerlessness means that a person feels he or she has no control over what happens in one’s life. As for meaningfulness, the person cannot find the valid reasons and explanations of the things occurring in the life of such a person. Consequently, the person is likely to become socially isolated – due to the problems connected with finding the right goals and aims in the life, the person fails or just do not want to maintain social connections with other people. Finally, self-estrangement means that the people do not value their own interests and demands or even deny them in order to satisfy those of other people.

Taking a criminological perspective, it seems reasonable to suggest that all of the aforementioned may become the driving force shaping the person’s decision to commit a crime. For example, if the person feels he or she has no goal in one’s life and it is full of negative moments, he or she is likely to devalue the importance of social order. Eventually, such a person that has nothing to lose may commit a crime without even realizing the actual damage it may possess. This is an example of how the personal problems that life in the mind of the person may become a cause of choosing a path of the criminal.