Summary

This article provides a brief overview of E. Durkheim’s views on crime and his studies concerning suicides. According to Durkheim, crimes like other deviations in conduct are necessary phenomena in the development of society. Durkheim believes that there is a certain normal crime level which consequently means that fight against crime should not be aimed at its elimination.
Further, Durkheim claims that social forces, i.e. suicidal impulses which are collective in nature, exist in the society. These social forces create psychological preconditions for suicide. The structure of the society determines the frequency of suicides which, in its turn, is the basis for the level of integration of individuals into the society.