Does poverty = crime?

Livewire said:

Does being poor/being socially disadvantaged mean you're more predisposed to committing crime?

Discuss?!

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Yeah I actually studied this in Law. It was different factors which help contribute to commitment of a crime.

We have:

Economic Factors: Crimes committed due to of lack of money also people living in poverty wanting money to by food, for example robberies and drug related offences.

Social Factors: Crimes related to ones social status, for example in this case poverty, loneliness, and just being unsocial for some people they get too overwhelmed and commit crimes through their depression.

Political Factors: Crimes committed because of instability in the compliance of the government. If the government is passing laws that society believes is not moral and ethical then there will be a low level of compliance resulting in crimes being committed such as rioting.

Self Interest: These crimes are committed on purpose just for the benefit of the perpetrators for example hacking and scamming.

So you see there are different factors which contribute to a crime being committed. In the case of poverty it is a factor for crimes to be committed people living in poverty need food so the commit crimes to gain money like drug dealing of theft so they have something to feed themselves of their families.

It's a generational cycle.

Unemployed people are often unemployed because they have drug/alcohol addiction or mental health problems. They have kids, the kids are raised in an environment where education and work are not valued by their most influential role models (parents) and unless they are resilient they will display the same behavior. They can only afford to live in areas of high unemployment where the same values (or lack of) are seen community wide.

Synaesthesia said:

To say that someone poor is more likely to commit a crime is wrong.

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It's not wrong. It is a statistical fact.

Relative poverty is a catalyst for crime.

Even working two or three jobs is sometimes not enough for an individual or family to achieve the same or anywhere near the median wealth of a population. Many times these families or an individual in a family might use illegal means in order to achieve median wealth; it's about economic status and providing for a family's necessities. Not, to mention, poverty causes depression, malnutrition, untreated medical care, among other ailments and negative conditions. As mentioned above, drug dealing and gang-related activities may seem like the only resolution to the economic woes of the impoverished. Not to mention, if one lives in an impoverished area, he or she is more likely to be a victim of a crime. However, law enforcement is less motivated to protect impoverished victims, and in turn these impoverished victims use other means to protect themselves, which are not always legal.

Take it from someone who has lived in poverty as a kid, It creates a mindset of desperation I've seen some things, some idiots would blame it on race but its not that I'm Italian/Sioux and I admit that the mentality of "I don't have the money to buy this so I'm going to take it" creeps in. But I also despise when people use growing up poor as an excuse, I grew up poor and was bullied as a kid but I don't let it bring me down, I think it's the people with a bad mindset that think its someone elses fault they're poor.

Poverty does incite a certain aura of behavior that might be considered criminal, but it is most likely desperation under the dire stress of living in poverty. In my opinion, I believe it is the lack of intelligence that elicits criminal behavior. Someone could be poor, but an intellectual and doesn't lower their standards to criminal behavior despite their poverty stricken life, but those whom are ignorant might not have such standards. This also goes for individuals with money.

Areas of higher intelligence have been shown to be centers of less criminal behavior than places with, say, the lowest.

However, might I go ahead and add a third element? Survivalism. We all have an innate need to survive. That urge is going to overthrow anyone when struck in a position where it is kicked into overdrive, be it rich or poverty, but I feel that it might be more prevalent in those that are poverty stricken, for reasons that obviously would not have the luxury most with money have. You need to do what you can to survive.

This relies heavily on your definition of crime. Ive lived, and am still living, in poverty. Ive been as hard pressed to sleep in allies before. I have stolen. Food mostly. A couple less helpful things (alchohol cigarettes) but ALSO the thing to be noted is the poverty is not an incurable position. Every day I work harder to bring myself to a higher point. I now live with my fiances grandmother, where I work very hard all day with her son (fiances uncle.) Im searching for a job. Ive held jobs but previous injuries cause big problems. The point is if your stealing for food to survive, I do not few it as crime but as survival instinct. But being in poverty I have stolen useless consumables simply to drown reality. So I can affirm with no doubt nor reservation in my heart poverty does lead to crime. However the poverty we are stricken with isn't just our fault. The increasing taxes on businesses make them not want to hire. The increasing requirements just to get a drivers license or regain a license limits the poor heavily in the job department. You need a license just to wash cars at a dealership. Ive been in this hole. And Im climbing out. But do not let others fool you into believing it is easy or entirely in fault of the person in the situation.

Poverty definitely gives reason to crime, but more reasons than non-poverty? No, I don't think so- just different ones. I see wealthy people ruining the lives of millions of people every day, far more of a criminal influence than those in poverty.

Poor people just don't have the luxury of being puppet masters controlling puppets to commit their crimes while they hide in the shadows, seemingly innocent. And most poor people crimes can't be covered up by loopholes, or be paid to 'disappear'.

Keiran777 said:

Poverty definitely gives reason to crime, but more reasons than non-poverty? No, I don't think so- just different ones. I see wealthy people ruining the lives of millions of people every day, far more of a criminal influence than those in poverty.

Poor people just don't have the luxury of being puppet masters controlling puppets to commit their crimes while they hide in the shadows, seemingly innocent. And most poor people crimes can't be covered up by loopholes, or be paid to 'disappear'.

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Pretty close to the cutoff but w/e

I think if anything, poverty/low socioeconomic status can predispose one to committing criminal acts. I think the psychological aspect of criminality and how economic inequality fuels it is pretty interesting.

Not necessarily. I think it has MUCH more to do with upbringing and external influence such as the person's friends, if they have a mental disorder, etc.. rather than how much money they have in the first place. It can be a factor, but I think it is a minor factor compared to others I've just stated.