What Is Social Harm?



What Is Social Harm?

“Social harm will be dialectically viewed as socially constructed flows which disrupt and

undermine the structures and processes of organic and inorganic being;

in which humans, as natural beings, are entangled.”

(Lasslett, p.3)

Introduction

There are various forms of harm, but in criminology, the term 'harm' is associated with the social harm. Both harm and crime have very close connections that provide the basis for the understanding of the concepts and importance of both these terms in the social context. Harm or the extent of harm also provides the basis for the judgment for the crime and punishment. There are a number of different reasons that provide an understanding for the destructive social flows in the society that result in causing harm to the society and other individuals. There are a number of events that result in serious harms, which are part of criminal law, and there are also some events that are not part of the criminal law. This involves social, emotional, monetary, physical and various other forms of harm. It results in affecting other people and causing them pain, injury and any form of crime such as; violence, sexual assault, theft, killing, etc. There are a number of different cases in which there are major harms, but not considered as a crime. For example, corporate and government decision can result in major harm for the public, but these are not treated under the criminal activities.Social harm affects more than crime and this the reason it matters more.

Social Harm and connection with Criminology

It is not considered very difficult to define social as it is an event that can cause harm to the society, but studying with the concept of criminology give rise to many complexities in order to understand the factors and the extent to harm and various consequences of harm. According to Lasslett, humans have very strong connections and interactions with their environment, their relation “between man and man' and 'man and nature' reflects their social behaviour. Interaction and relation with the environment and other individuals results in different positive and negative effects. These effects can result in affecting behaviour and attitudes of a person that can result in different acts. Negative effects can result in negative approach towards society and other individuals and result in harm, forming the basis for the crime. Another contrasting view is that there can also be harm to other people and killings, and various other such events that can be done with the positive approach and there will be major harms, but not considered as a criminal act, for example, war and global capitalism that resulted in killings of thousands of people. According to Lasslett there are a number of these factors that result in causing the social harm, not treated under criminology. This requires that the connection between harm and criminology must be identified. On the basis of these basics assumptions, it can be stated that harm is more important factor to consider, and harm matters more than ...