The majority of crimes committed within today's society posses some form of meaning or expression on the behalf of the criminal. In very few instances are crimes committed that lack any form of significance. But as to the individual meanings of each crime, that remains to be identified then characterised and classified for future reference, in an attempt to understand and control other such lapses. At the same time, crime is defined not in by the terms of its attributes but by the social situation in which it occurs, which makes it perpetually more difficult to understand and predict because social ways are continuously changing, to the point were two individuals are judged differently for the same actions in different times.

The identification process itself, is by far the most difficult and discouraging task among many that any criminologist has to encounter. The factors leading and pertaining to each crime, including the fashion of execution, are the main elements for the discovery of reason in the otherwise seemingly meaningless acts. But unfortunately, pinpointing all the factors surrounding each individual case and then understanding their development becomes extremely complicated, because so many theories exist within criminology as to their existence.

The theories of crime causation vary dramatically between prominent criminologists of past and present. Though all these theories stem from two opposite branches of thought, simply known as the Classical and Positivist schools of criminology. The classical school developed by Beccaria, revolves around the belief that individuals are rational beings that choose a life of crime for its benefits. Areas of theory developments that branch off from this schools include status deprivation, the frustration of ambitions, norm violation, differential association, and subcultural motivations . On the other hand, Positivism as expressed by Lombroso suggests that criminality is a natural phenomena that individuals are born with, and can not avoid. Theories that have developed in support of this particular idea include the Genetic make up of individuals, their constitutional structures, dietary intakes, and the level of intelligence possessed that may in turn reflect some sort of neuropsychological failings of certain criminals.

In attempting to develop a clear understanding of a particular crime, each of these theories must be distinguished from the other, choosing the correct one for each case, and at times combining several because external forces can be combined with internal to create anti-social behaviour. To do this, extreme background research on each felon must be taken, and as can be imagined, it is not a elementary task compared to other criminological tasks such as statics analyses.

The majority of crimes can be quite easy grouped and understood because of common traits. But there exist occasional types that surpass predictability, and bewilder criminologists because of their unforeseeable nature. The Scottish 'Dunblane' massacre, Oregon's 'Springfield' shootings, Australia's 'Port Author' and 'Hoddle street" massacres are all prime examples of this, and of the rational of irrational individuals. Each of these attacks were based against innocent bystanders who were by no means related in anyway to the criminal, and held (debatably) no meaning more than just a source of release for the killers. Lets take a closer look at each one of these case, and attempt to develop some relevance between the actions of the individual perpetrators and their social and personal environments.

During March 1996, five days before Thomas Hamilton "burst into a classroom with four semi-automatic pistols, he wrote a letter to Queen Elizabeth complaining that the authorities were preventing him from engaging in youth work" . By looking at reports pertaining to his prior history, it is possible to note a long list of failings in matters concerning his ambitions, which stands to reason with Robert Merton's 'anomie' theory that proposes "that frustration and alienation develop when individuals who aspire to the economic goals of society and are not provided for" , and upon feeling unnoticed and ineffective, turn to crime for their source of power and affirmation . This in itself, as ironic as it may seem, is the criminals cry out for help. But one factor that seems to have been ignored in almost all the case studies relating to Hamilton, is his uncanny desire to be surrounded by scarcely clad male children who where easily manipulated by his statues of team leader/care taker. The manipulation itself can be seen as his access to power that he lacked from contemporary avenues; but the near naked children is a completely different issue to be reckoned with, which may just group Hamilton as a sexual psychopath.

The case of 'Kip Kinkel', the 15 year old school student in Springfield - Oregon, who shoot both his parents before proceeding to an onslaught at a local school, may at first seem similar to the case of Hamilton, but in actuality is not. "Kinkel had been attending anger control classes and was taking a prescription drug called 'Prozac'. The same drug that has factored in almost all the wild shooting sprees which have taken place within America during the last ten years" . Prozac itself has been noted for its qualities of creating apathy, hallucinations, hysteria, hostility, paranoia, irrational and antisocial behaviour, whilst giving rise to self destructive thoughts. The issue that arises here is the development of technology, and its inadequate monitoring structures. Because of this social failure, it is possible to attribute a large proportion of this incident to the high level of human dependence on drugs "which not only compound already existing problems, but also creates new ones" (This is a prime example of social influences on criminality). Signs of irrational behaviour were evident prior to this horrific situation, but most of it was ignored by both failing parents and teachers alike.

Martin Bryant, 28, the gunman who killed 34 people in Tasmania in 1996, was said to have a history of mental disorder lacking psycho-social and emotional responses . Dr. Park Deitz, from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's chief psychiatrist suggested that the media coverage of the 'Dunblane' tragedy may have been Bryant's inspiration . With this in mind, it is quite possible (as stated by Paul Mullen - Monash University's psychiatric professor), that the media coverage of prior events makes further actions by disturbed individuals more attractive . So too, Alexander and Ross (1952) have suggested that people with weak super-egos have a high possibility of turning to crime as a form of comfort , as is the case of Bryant who was noted by his prison psychiatrist, Professor Paul Mullen, as having a sense of inadequacy . The possibilities are endless, but there is a very good chance that the over glorified figure of violence, as portrayed by the media, may have allowed Bryant to visualise his actions as a way to obtaining a higher statues. This becomes more probably when we read statements made recently by photographers who claim he stood tall and reveled in his notoriety.

Julian knight, a thin short-haired man, when asked by police "why" he attacked innocent people, could only reply "I dunno, I'm not sure" . Prior to this incident, he was part of the Australian armed forces. Upon discovering that his career was soon to end, he took it upon himself to begin shooting people randomly, sparing one bullet for his suicide which he could not bring himself to use.

Like Hamilton, Knight may have suffered frustrated ambitions. If we were to look at the Sheldon's 'Somatotypes' (developed from Lombroso (1876) and Garafolo's theory (1914)) in relation to physique and temperament, Knight fits the characteristics of the 'Ectomorphic' physique with the temperament known as 'Cerebrotonic', which is known for its restrained and introverted characteristics. Unfortunately though, this body type structure tells us very little as to a person's propensity to act criminally . The 'anomie' theory is quite relevant here too, because of Knight's statues as a soon to be unemployed soldier.

Each of these four cases are in fact, pertaining to at least one criminological theory, if not at a combination of several which increases the virtual complexity. "The study of these theories and being able to link them to actual cases is helpful in leading us to variables that may be studied in larger populations" , and once we understand this behaviour, we stand a better chance at predicting when crimes will occur, and thus be able to take steps to control, eliminate, and hopefully prevent reassurances in future. In doing so, it is important to realise that "some of the conditions necessary for crime are aspects of the external environment, that is, they are to a large degree independent of the characteristics of the potential offender" such as cultural clashes, influences and the social programming produced by mass-media that glorifies and encourages savagery through depictions of violent characters in movies, as proposed by Edwin Sutherland (1930) in his theory of 'differential association' .

The 'labeling theory' has made evident that the punishment of individuals tends to often make them commit more crimes because of altered interactional structures. But at the same time, Lempert has argued that "punishment has not one effect, but many, varying across types of people and situations" . This theory holds possible with both the Dunblane and Springfield massacres, particularly if we consider the restrictions placed on Hamilton concerning his youth work, and Kinkel's institutionalisation for rage management, as a form of punishment for their inability to interact with others in a 'normal' fashion.

Studies have shown that the theories of criminology are quite often prominent in most lawbreakers, in comparison to lawful individuals. "But even these factors are invariably found to be absent in the case of some who have broken the law, and present in the case of some who have not. Thus - the argument runs - crime must have many causes" , being made up of so many unique combinations of individual and social factors that are yet to be discovered, researched, and acknowledged. The use of typology, which generally groups people and classes them by definition of one or more variables is quiet effective in reducing time consumption. An example of this would the classification of a mass killer who is said to have typical traits like a fascination with weapons, social isolation, depression, and rigid almost obsessive behaviour . But it should be noted that this specific definition could fit almost anyone at some point in their lives, because the emotions described are particularly common in almost everyone, especially with youth. Likewise, this system can not characterise all forms of offenders because each crime is not identical. Room is necessary for some forms of variance.

Regardless of the amount of study and theories produced, "the crime rate will continue to go up because there is no other way for it to go. Our already complex society is accelerating in its growth, technology, complexity, and it's need for even more effective controls. The greater the controls and the more complex and numerous society becomes, the greater will be the number of deviations" . Criminology itself is imperfect, and needs to be developed at a rate equivalent to that of society. It will never be able to eliminate crime, nor will it be able to locate nor predict all crimes within the future, but it can maintain some form of control, and suppress the cancerous growth of criminality within society. The introduction of political reform making observation of mental inferior individuals mandatory, and control over drugs - particularly those that are known to have adverse effects that may lead to criminal activity. Without continued study and development within this system, the rate of crime will escalate in an almost vertical manner, to the point the majority of individuals within society will partake in such activities for their own benefit. Only through regulations designed by criminologists can this be controlled.

Bibliography

Alcorn, G, "Ten years later, the Hoddle street wounds still weep", The Age, 1998
Bridges, G. Weis, J, "Criminal justice", Pine Forge Press, 1996
Conklin, J, "Criminology", MacMillan Publishing, 1981
Cull, J. Hardy, R, "Fundamentals of criminal behaviour and correctional systems", Charles Thomas, 1973
Darby, A "Confined for life as a social misfit", The Age, 1997
Gorecki, J "A theory of criminal justice", Columbia University Press, 1979
Halleck, S, "Psychiatry and the dilemmas of crime", University of California Press, 1971
Harkness, B, "Portraying a killer", Montage - Monash University, 1989
Hester, S. Eglin, P, "A sociology of crime", Routledge, 1992
Hood, R. Sparks, R, "Key issues in criminology", World University Library, 1974
Laufer, W. Adler, F, "Advances in criminological theory", Transaction Publishers, 1989
Masters, Brian, "The evil that men do", Time Magazine, 1997
Reid, S, "Crime and Criminology", CBS College Publishing, 1985
Roshier, B, "Controlling crime", Open University Press, 1989
Sacco, V. Kennedy, L, "The Criminal Event", Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1996
Sielaff, M, "Prozac implicated in Oregon school shooting", The Vigo Examiner, 1998
Victor, P, "Dunblane 'link' to rampage', Newspaper Publishing P.L.C, 1996
Author unknown, "Scottish town mourns loss of little ones", CNN World News, 1996
Author unknown, "Events in the life of Thomas Hamilton", Internet Address http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/scottish/dunblane/dun04c.html, 1997