Criminal Activity Then and Now Criminal justice is made up of many lateral departments that help us as a society better understand the process that is initiated when criminal activity is suspected. We will examine how individuals learn to commit crime and what motivates them to do so. This document will discuss the steps taken once a crime is established and how the criminal justice system is put in place to help solve and bring about some type of resolution to the crime. This article will further discuss the types of deterrence that are introduced into the minds of society to help curve criminal behavior and activity. After reading this article, the reader should have a better understanding of how the criminal justice system works and why it is necessary to help promote a safe environment for our society. To understand what crime is we must first look at the definition of what criminal activity IS. The term crime derives from a classification of offenses established by the State or Congress as crimes or misdemeanors committed against a public law. Crime is defined as any deviance that involves the violation of norms, but some norms attract the attention of authorities. Acts that have been declared illegal by some authority are called crime (Curry, Jiobu, & Schwirian, 1999). Crime develops from the desire for certain things that attract or draw attention to certain individuals. A person involved in the violation of law or morals may be considered a criminal suspect under the law. Crimes can range from the least serious traffic violation, which is basically a violation of a city-mandated charter, to more serious things like murder. Anything that goes against the penal system of a country (... middle of paper......, 2010). Criminal justice is made up of many lateral departments that help us define and better understand how crime can occur in our society. Crime can be learned and used to help satisfy one's personal gain and used to replace what is missing. Crime can be reduced by developing rules that improve the social support needed to help educate families and the community to keep their surroundings safe. The implementation of custodial supervision and punishment may deter some crimes but may not eliminate them entirely. The criminal justice system is not a system that will stop crime but more guidelines that arise from the commission of crimes. Our society deserves to live in a safe and healthy environment, and by providing policies and rules that help regulate criminal activity, we will assure our society that crime will be prosecuted and brought to an end to the fullest extent possible..