Does poverty cause crime?

I did not find any similar threads. I argued for a while in another thread about this particular matter and I could not create an argument, so I decided to make a thread about this question

I am not implying in any way that poor people are criminals.

"Nearly all poor people are not criminals, although nearly all criminals are poor."

I hope that sentence makes sense.


I have though a lot on the link between crime and poverty and it certainly exists. Statistically speaking countries with higher poverty rates, overally speaking poorer areas & ghettos have usually much higher crime rates than the middle-class, upper-class areas. Countries with stronger social systems, more developed countries tend to have much lower crime rates than third world countries etc.

When thinking about reasons, then nearly every crime has at least some financial motives in it, especially blue-collar crimes (burglaries, pickpocketing, robberies). Studies show that people resort to crime only if they determine that potential benefits outweigh the cost or consequences of committing that. Poverty can often lead to extra stress and different mental issues. At some point it can lead a person to commit a crime simply to live somehow. If legal ways of obtaining finances can not support one, then often illegal ways are needed in order to survive.

Of course, there is certain % of people who commit crime for the sake of crime. Usually this has something to with abusive childhood or simply greed or some other stronger emotion, although on average, why would any person who is financially well off and has a good job commit a crime?

What do you think on the matter? Does poverty cause crime?

Yes and no....ask a bank robber If he would have robbed that bank If he had 2 million in the bank already..I bet he says no.
But look at all the mega rich bankers who do criminal things while they are already rich...what is their motive? greed.
I think some people are just more naughty than others...but If I was starving and my kids were also, would I be driven to steal a loaf of bread..yup probably.

I think poverty causes desperation.
If I could not afford to feed my family, I wouldn't be against nipping into the nearest farmers field and helping myself to a few veggies and bits that I could get away with.
However, poverty in the UK means you can still afford an Xbox and cigarettes, but you can't afford premium lager, it seems...
I think some people have a skewed sense of entitlement though. Many of the people who took part in the London riots the other year were people who were considered impoverished, and many of them were people who were well off. Some of them stole ridiculous things like bags of rice, others stole hundreds of pounds of electrical equipment.
I don't think that because people better off than me have nice things, that I am not entitled to them too. I have to earn them, with my own money.

Greed causes crime,

Poverty can be the cause of certain crimes, like robberies, muggings, shoplifting etc. But there are other crimes that aren't caused by poverty, like murder for example. Even wealthy people have been known to murder out of vengeance.

But when it comes to theft related crimes, I think desperation and poverty usually is the main factor.

I've often ponder the link between poverty and crime. I'm from Detroit and I grew up in a poor white neighborhood. My neighborhood now has a lot of black people in it. I smoke on the front porch and I hear gunshots every single night. I've come to the conclusion that genetics play a role. It's the only logical explanation. I'm not going to elaborate on what I think because it's considered taboo in America.

reply to post by Cabin


Yes you make sense it's like saying not all Muslims are terrorists but all terrorists have been Muslim...but I would say if I was poor with children I would be doing whatever I could to put food on the table and that includes stealing or selling drugs. I would say some crime is also done simply because of bad choices or the lust for wealth.

There is plenty of white collar crime out there that has little to zero with being poor lets take Bernie Madoff for example.

I do however question why going to store such as Walmart in the inner city always looks like a war zone..meaning stuff on the floors, isles looking like crap and I attribute that to people just not being respectful. Parking lots always have litter in it versus the nicer neighborhoods where people more often than not are taught to no litter or make a mess. I think it's people just not caring about where they live and just expect others to do things for them...guess it may go hand and hand with some being poor...

I do think poverty can couse people to commit crime because I have been poor. I had a flat and had to work 60=+hours in a nursing home to survive. (UK). When the home closed and I was transferred to another home I was down to 24 hours a week and resorted to stealing food from the tea trolley and putting laundry detergent in a glove tied up at the top to have a clean uniform!

Its a factor not a cause.

People steal for many reasons these are a few
They:
like it
cant stop (lack of control, kleptomania)
need to
to hurt some one or something thing (similar to vandalism)
profit
exotic, collectable items, usually for profit.
or simply because they can get away with it in combination with any of the above.

only one of those reasons is 'valid' for a poor person to steal of course a person may steal due to some or all of them!

reply to post by Cabin


I grew up in the bronx in the 80s -90s i would say from my experience its part of the cause but not the one thing to blame. education and lack of good jobs and role models also plays a part. Probably countless other things discrimination perhaps.

When you see the guy with the fancy car and brand name everything clothes and he tells hes a drug dealer it can be pretty tempting. Especially when you see the guy with a job that can barely pay his bills.

Poverty can cause crime, but , crime also causes poverty.

" There's a crime out there for everyone" a true saying told to me by an old crim,
be it priest,nun,jaywalker..

A retired bank robber I know, who is broke by the way, told me it's the adrenalin rush.

Off topic we are watching that battlefield Los Angeles on tv first time, but saw this and wanted to post. 1%

Some poor people are forced into crime to pay off bad debt they ran up with the wrong people.

Some "organisations" use people ,who would not otherwise be criminals to commit their pettier, albeit profitable offences.

Politicians and Bankers who commit high level financial crimes are morally very poor.

So yeah, Poverty + People + Greed = Crime.

Poverty does not cause crime. There are a real lot of honest people that are poor. I would say there are a lot more people that are well off that are dishonest myself....But the laws protect these kinds of people from being prosecuted for their deceit. Selling a person something they do not need or at a price that is overinflated seems to be legal. The rich get richer, if you want to play the game and keep the economy rolling than society will let you prosper. If anything, the poor can have better morals if they are trying to make a living without swindling others and only get help if needed.

You could certainly argue that poverty is the crime.

We are a "civilized evolved race" who forces anyone to be a part of it, there is no place for hobbits and the self sufficient in a modern community. Should we not provide support for those that cannot adapt?

Seems rather uncivilized to let them rot between the gaps in our busy lives.

In some of the poorest neighborhoods in WV, there is little to no crime.

I am not implying in any way that poor people are criminals.

"Nearly all poor people are not criminals, although nearly all criminals are poor."

I hope that sentence makes sense.

reply to post by Cabin


This sentence absolutely makes sense, and if I could remember more of my college logic classes, I could give you the exact term for what you state here, as it is a known component of logical thinking.

Beyond that, I agree with your premise completely. Not only that, I feel it is designed this way. The poorer class reaffirms and justifies, in a way, the classes above it.....
Let's face it: we are manipulated by our basic needs. When catastrophes strike, such as hurricanes, not all the looting that goes on is serendipitous. It is based upon the need to survive......

Bingo. They run a starvation, unequal, warring scarsity system to deprogram loving spirits who come into tests to grow their love and consciousness bigger, in order to hijack them.

And the 2 huge things that bring this planet to a near hellzone are war and inequality/starvation/slavery.

And this causes everything.

Originally posted by Fylgje
In some of the poorest neighborhoods in WV, there is little to no crime.

Nothing to steal there

reply to post by rickymouse


Sad, really and truly, but thanks for the chuckle. So rare for me these days.
fourth

When I'm a banker, all problems look financial.

If I'm a banker taking over the world,
I want everyone to agree that
poverty makes crime.

How else am I to appear as the all-savior.


Forget the fact that the past 100 years
of fiat currency have created the environment
where poor people are beginning to steal for status sake.

Now worship my symbol,
it will cure all crimes.
The only crime
will be not believing in my money.



[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/afda8c7d5b01.png[/atsimg]