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Cover of Pick a Crime

Pick a Crime

Written by Richard Rein Smith

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Science FictionPsychological fictionShort storiesCrime

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About this book

"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.

Reading guide

Themes, characters and key ideas in Pick a Crime, written by Chaptra AI.

  • about 8 hours
  • intermediate
  • Dystopian
  • Thought-provoking
  • Melancholy

Richard R. Smith's "Pick a Crime," a mid-20th-century science fiction novel, depicts a near-future society where the Crime Prevention Association (CPA) eradicates crime through monitoring and rehabilitation, rather than punishment. The story follows Joe Harper, labeled with 'Dangerous Criminal Tendencies,' who, frustrated by societal ostracization and unemployment, ironically seeks to commit a crime. He believes that being caught will grant him access to the CPA's rehabilitation program, leading to social acceptance and a normal life. After a staged robbery attempt, Joe undergoes a profound treatment that rewires his thoughts and impulses. The narrative culminates in a chilling revelation: while 'cured' of his criminal leanings, Joe is left a hollow shell, his personal freedom and identity sacrificed for enforced morality, powerfully exploring themes of autonomy, societal control, and the true cost of a 'perfect' society.

“They promised a world without crime, but delivered a world without choice.”

Key themes

Freedom vs. Control
This is the central thematic conflict, exploring the tension between individual liberty and the desire for a perfectly ordered, crime-free society. The CPA represents absolute control, promising security at the cost of personal choice and the very capacity for independent thought and action. Joe's struggle highlights whether a life without the potential for 'wrong' can truly be called 'free'.
Identity and Autonomy
The novel deeply questions the nature of personal identity when external forces dictate one's thoughts and impulses. Joe's identity is initially defined by his 'tendencies' and later by his enforced 'cure'. The story suggests that true identity encompasses the full spectrum of human potential, including the capacity for transgression, and that removing this potential fundamentally alters who a person is.
The Nature of Crime and Punishment
Smith challenges traditional notions of crime and punishment by presenting a system that eliminates crime before it happens and replaces punishment with 'rehabilitation'. The novel forces readers to consider whether the eradication of crime, achieved through the removal of free will, is truly a moral or just outcome, and what role 'criminal tendencies' play in the broader human experience.

Worth discussing

Is a crime-free society, achieved through psychological conditioning, a desirable outcome? Why or why not?

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