FEBRUARY 10 — Malaysia has been shaken by a series of violent crimes. From femicides and familicides to killings between acquaintances and attacks by strangers, these acts leave entire communities stunned. The recent discovery of the remains of six individuals in a remote area in Johor is another sobering reminder that crime is rarely a distant phenomenon. It arises from moments where judgment collapses, emotions override reason, and consequences are tragically underestimated.

Public conversations rightly centre on victims. But there is another dimension that deserves attention especially for anyone tempted to rationalise wrongdoing. Criminology has long shown that crime is often driven by short-term thinking that masks long-term failure. What appears to be a solution in the moment frequently becomes a source of enduring psychological and social harm.

Strain theory explains how people under pressure such as financial hardship, humiliation, or social exclusion may view crime as a practical shortcut. Rational choice theory goes further by explaining how individuals weigh perceived gains against risks, often persuading themselves that the act is justified or controllable. In that critical moment, the mind constructs narratives such as, “this will fix things,” “I deserve this,” or “I won’t get caught”. Crime is then psychologically framed as a calculated decision rather than what it truly is, a destructive act.

But criminological research consistently shows that the perceived gain is fleeting. What follows is rarely part of the rationalisation. Many offenders experience what psychologists describe as moral injury namely the distress of acting against one’s own ethical boundaries. Guilt, anxiety, hypervigilance and emotional numbing frequently emerge. Even when legal consequences are avoided, the internal burden remains. The act that promised relief becomes a source of lingering psychological strain.

Repeated offending compounds this harm. Labelling theory highlights how individuals can internalise their deviance, gradually seeing themselves through the lens of their worst act. Shame hardens into identity. Desistance research demonstrates that leaving crime behind requires rebuilding self-worth and purpose, a process made far harder when a person believes their future has already been defined by past behaviour.

The consequences extend beyond psychology. While a criminal record does not legally bar someone in Malaysia from rebuilding their life including securing housing or employment, reintegration is often fragile. Social stigma, unstable income and fractured relationships can reinforce marginalisation. Families absorb emotional and financial strain, creating ripple effects that outlast the original offence.

None of this diminishes the suffering of victims. Instead, it illustrates a fundamental criminological insight: crime harms in multiple directions. The decision that promises short-term gain often produces long-term personal failure namely moral, psychological and social.

This is why deterrence is not only about punishment. It is also about understanding how people rationalise harmful behaviour. Crime thrives in moments where individuals fail to anticipate consequences. The most powerful prevention begins internally by pausing to interrogate the narrative: “What happens after this? Is this moment worth years of fallout?”.

Correctional research reinforces this lesson. Rehabilitation that addresses trauma, identity and decision-making reduces the likelihood of reoffending because it confronts the same cognitive patterns that justified the initial act. Crime prevention, therefore, is not just institutional, it is psychological.

Ultimately, crime offers a dangerous illusion. It presents itself as a shortcut but delivers enduring cost. The lingering trauma such as guilt, stigma, and fractured identity rarely appears in headlines, yet it shapes lives long after the act.

If there is one criminological truth worth remembering, it is this: short-term rationalisations often lead to long-term consequences that cannot be undone. True strength lies in resisting the impulse, questioning the narrative and choosing a path that preserves one’s future.

Crime is not a victory. It is a decision whose shadow can last a lifetime.

* Dr Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid is a Criminologist and Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya and may be reached at haezreena@um.edu.my

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.