Social Origin of Criminals: A Study of Nadia Dacoits in Colonial Bengal

Abstract

A study of crime as a social problem makes it necessary to focus the human element-the distinguishing characteristics of men and women who chose to resort to the legally prescribed codes of conduct. By and large people in general have very little or no sympathy for the criminals. This paper describes some relevant matters relating to the criminal. Who became criminal under which situation? What can we infer about the socio-economic background of the incarcerated? It tries to present a survey of Nadia district’s dacoits by reviewing excerpts from confessional records of dacoits and from different police reports, all of which throw light on the criminal career of Nadia dacoits