Pick a Crime by Richard Rein Smith
"Pick a Crime" by Richard R. Smith is a science fiction novel set in a near-future society that has devised an elaborate system to prevent crime. Written during the mid-20th century, the book explores a world where criminal tendencies are monitored and treated through a system called the CPA (Crime Prevention Association), which eliminates the existence of crime, punishes no one, and instead rehabilitates criminals into law-abiding citizens. The narrative centers around
an individual named Joe Harper, whose desire to commit a crime ironically leads him to seek social acceptance and a livelihood. In the story, Joe, classified as a Dangerous Criminal Tendencies (DCT), reflects on a society where crime is nearly eradicated, but at the cost of personal freedom and autonomy. Frustrated with his status and unable to secure employment because of his label, he devises a convoluted plan to commit a crime, believing that being caught would grant him a path to rehabilitation and a normal life. After attempting to stage a robbery, Joe is apprehended and undergoes a treatment process that rewires his thoughts and impulses. The conclusion reveals a dark twist: while he becomes a non-criminal, he is left feeling like a shell of his former self, governed by the CPA's enforced morality, indicating the story's themes of freedom, identity, and societal control. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
Author | Smith, Richard Rein, 1930- |
---|---|
Illustrator | Francis, Dick |
Title | Pick a Crime |
Note | Reading ease score: 83.0 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net |
Language | English |
LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
Subject | Science fiction |
Subject | Short stories |
Subject | Psychological fiction |
Subject | Crime -- Fiction |
Category | Text |
EBook-No. | 51656 |
Release Date | Apr 4, 2016 |
Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
Downloads | 115 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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