The Psychology of Crime

The Psychology of Crime

1989 7 July 13 The Psychology of Crime (344) “There is something bad within me, and there is something good within me too. When this little bad within me overpowers my goodness, I do bad deeds.” Did Chapman mean what he said? If he did, he was only representing human nature as it is.

Lennon and Chapman were pop singers of British origin popularly known as two of the four Beatles.

Lennon, however, was more successful, earning greater fame than Chapman. The latter could not bear it, and became jealous of Lennon. Chapman’s antipathy towards Lennon kept on piling up till a day came when he shot Lennon dead.

Newspapers reported it as a case of professional rivalry. A case was registered against Chapman. In the statement made in the court, Chapman pleaded:

“There is something bad within me, and there is something good within me too. When this little bad within me overpowers my goodness, I do bad deeds.” Did Chapman mean what he said? If he did, he was only representing human nature as it is.

There is no doubt about it that some culprits are addicted to committing crimes. Pardoning such hardened criminals is an act of injustice and cruelty to humanity. But many individuals commit crimes on impulse. Afterwards their reasoning overpowers them. They feel so sorry for having committed the crime that their repentance itself is like an internal punishment. This is why Islam stresses the fact that errors should be forgiven. When a man does something wrong on impulse, then soon afterwards he feels ashamed at the evil deed and starts repenting, we can forgive him at that particular juncture thus supporting his feeling of repentance and enabling him to compensate for his mistake. In this way he can be saved from ever committing that wrong deed again.

Although Islam prescribes the death penalty for murder it has also been made a pardonable crime under certain circumstances. That is, if the murdered man’s legal heirs are willing to accept blood money, the murderer will be asked to pay a suitable amount, and will not then be executed.