Throughout Dr Shamir Rajadurai’s experience as a criminologist and crime prevention specialist, he has seen a great deal. Though he started 15 years ago, his interest in understanding the psychology of a criminal never fades.
With a PhD in Criminology from the University of Malaya, he is also a certified compliance professional in cryptocurrency financial crimes, certified in managing sexual exploitation and abuse investigations, and certified in human trafficking prevention and intervention. Dr Shamir also provides talks and training for companies on crime prevention and leadership programmes.
In an interview with the Sarawak Tribune, Dr Shamir shares more about his job, experiences, and other insightful information.
Why did you decide to pursue criminology?
I think I’ve always had a passion for helping to reduce crime rates. I thought the best way to do that was to study crime and criminals, then figure out the best ways to reduce crime. However, I am not a police officer, nor do I have any legal authority.
During my teenage years, one of the things that made me curious was the way the media glorified crimes and criminals. In a sense, the media made them look cool. I’ll give you an example: if someone commits a crime and gets away with it, people admire their ability to escape. But if a police officer fails to catch the criminal, they get blamed for it, and people often forget that their life is on the line.
So perhaps, in a way, that inspired me to want to learn more about crimes, although my values have never aligned with committing them.
What are the ways you study crime and criminals?
Theoretically, I obtained my knowledge academically. But to truly understand crime, I have to learn from the experts. And who are the experts? The criminals. I seek permission to visit prisons, sit down with criminals, and learn from them. I have been to several different prisons around the world.
When visiting criminals, I tell them that I am interested in learning how they committed their crimes and that I want to understand their methods. So, I learned the tricks of the trade from these criminals. Although that may sound simple, it is far from easy. There’s a technique to it, and a lot of practice is required when it comes to conversing and gaining information amicably from them.
But not everyone is willing to share. Some simply say, “No, I’m not interested in talking to you.”
What’s the worst case you have ever encountered?
I wouldn’t say it was the worst, but it certainly caught me off guard. When I visit prisons, I don’t always know what crimes the individuals have committed. I usually request to speak with murderers or other serious offenders. On one occasion, I decided to interview a rapist.
I only knew he had been convicted of rape, but I didn’t know the details of his case. Once he was comfortable enough, he told me his story—he was convicted of sexually abusing his daughter 600 times.
What truly caught me off guard was how he carried himself. Speaking to him, you would never suspect he was capable of such crimes. He presented himself as a rational, polite individual. I have met numerous criminals, but he surprised me the most because of how he conducted himself.
What are some exciting moments in your job?
Technically, I get to commit crimes legally. Sometimes, companies hire me to break into their systems to test their security. So, legally, I am employed to attempt a break-in. It’s similar to a criminal break-in but without any legal consequences. Certain financial institutions also hire me to try bypassing their fraud systems to identify loopholes in their banking security. There’s a certain thrill when I do it.
Among the many crimes you have learned about, what is the best skill you have acquired?
At one point, I was quite skilled at pickpocketing. I used to do live demonstrations on stage, where I would call someone up and attempt to steal their wallet or phone. They wouldn’t even realise it had happened, but the audience could see everything.
