Criminologist Dr Shamir Rajadurai has been studying criminals for over a decade, uncovering the psychology behind their actions. In this exclusive interview, he shares his insights with the Sarawak Tribune on crime prevention, the impact of harsher punishments, and how communities can work together to build a safer society.
Harsh punishments are not the answer
Meeting Dr Shamir Rajadurai was unexpected, and our conversations were both heavy and thought-provoking. “The thing about trying to understand criminals is that if you are not mentally strong enough to dive deeper, it can break you. I am thankful that I have been blessed with a slightly stronger mental resilience.”
A Crime Prevention Specialist for 15 years, Dr Shamir is also a recipient of the Malaysian Book of Records for his contributions to crime prevention. Additionally, he is a certified international speaker with accreditation in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.
Interestingly, Dr Shamir visits prisons to interview and gather information about criminals to better understand them psychologically and mentally. By examining crime scenes through the lens of criminals, he has gained in-depth knowledge of their modus operandi, which he shares in his crime prevention workshops in the hope of reducing crime.
But why do criminals continue to do crime, even when they know it is wrong? According to Dr Shamir, psychologically, criminals often believe they are not in the wrong.
“So, crimes are divided into physical and non-physical crimes. The thing about physical crimes is that sometimes they are committed by individuals who lack empathy. For example, if someone snatches your bag, and you fall and get hurt, they do not care about your well-being.”
As for non-physical crimes, Dr Shamir cited scams as an example. “Scammers possess a small degree of empathy in the sense that, to them, they are not physically harming their victims. Hence, they believe their actions are acceptable. They usually have a justification for what they do.”
The more crimes these individuals commit, the more desensitised they become, and the less compassion they have, he revealed.
Harsher punishments, better crime rates?
When the pandemic hit and people’s movements were restricted, index crime rates decreased. However, while these numbers fell, online crimes such as scams surged dramatically. In the years following the pandemic, index crime numbers rose again, according to Dr Shamir.
Based on Malaysia’s crime statistics published in 2024, index crimes such as assault and property crimes increased by 3.2 per cent in 2023, with 52,444 cases compared to 50,813 in 2022. Of the two categories, rape saw the highest increase in the assault crime category, rising from 1,712 cases in 2022 to 1,914 in 2023. Meanwhile, house break-ins and theft rose from 10,585 cases in 2022 to 11,557 in 2023.
Depending on the severity of the crime, punishments in Malaysia include caning, imprisonment, and the death penalty. However, in recent years, there has been ongoing debate about abolishing capital and corporal punishment.
When asked whether harsher punishments lead to lower crime rates, Dr Shamir responded with a firm “no” — “How much worse can it get anyway?”
To him, regardless of the severity of punishments, people still commit crimes. “When criminals see money, they forget everything. It also comes down to whether they get caught. A big IF. If they don’t get caught, they will continue offending.”
As a crime prevention specialist, he believes that while some criminals deserve to be imprisoned, others could benefit from rehabilitation programmes. “At the end of the day, what’s important is that society must look after itself. That’s how we can reduce crime rates.”
He elaborated further, explaining that a community is like a patchwork quilt — through community building and working together with neighbours, crime rates can be reduced in an area. He stressed the importance of initiating meaningful conversations about how society can improve, as this helps foster genuine friendships.
“When you create genuine friendships, you begin to care about each other. Let me give you an example: if a person avoids their neighbour, then when they see someone breaking in, they may dismiss it. But when we have good relationships with our neighbours, we care for them and want to help.”
The value of life
Aside from community building, Dr Shamir also talks about the importance of education. When children understand the value of life, they learn empathy. “We are often taught about consequences, but when we learn about someone’s value in life, we understand that a person is a mother, a daughter, or a child. From a young age, children must be taught why they should not hit or steal because it will hurt someone.”
Sharing a scenario, Dr Shamir described a car accident where a driver knocks down a pedestrian. Instead of worrying about jail time or consequences, he hopes that people would prioritise saving the injured person’s life.
“The victim could be somebody’s father, daughter, or friend.”
Similarly, when someone is tempted to steal, he suggests a different approach to deterrence. “Rather than just telling them about the consequences, also discuss the impact of their actions — what if they steal from someone whose livelihood depends on that money? When you steal, you may leave a person unable to feed their family.”
Looking beyond law enforcement, the real change begins when individuals and communities work together to create a safer society. By recognising the value of life and strengthening social connections, we take meaningful steps towards reducing crime and building a better future for all.
