Objective of the Project
Question:
Discuss about the “Relationship Between Low Income And Crime”.
This research is carried out to assess the relationship between low income and crime. As it is a debatable topic whether low income is the reason for motivating people to commit a crime. Many researchers have studied this topic and created an argument in context to the relationship between low income and crime.
The objective of the project is- “To assess the relationship between low income and crime”. In order to achieve the objective, various literature related to the research topic will be analysed ( Li, et al., 2016). As through various literature, an understanding of the topic can be developed. The data available in the literature about the research will also help in getting a conclusion and achieving the objective of the research.
The scope of the project will be wide. As through completion of the project, the relationship between low income and crime could be assessed and it will analyse whether lower income is one of the reasons which motivates people to commit a crime. The data of research could be used by other research in future in their research. In addition to this, government and some other organizations such as- welfare organizations and non-profit organization could carry out some actions to help people in getting sufficient income and motivate them in doing some productive work instead of committing a crime or illegal activities (Coote, 2017).
It is well known that poverty is a major issue in the world. Moreover, in the world crime is also an issue or problem. On the other hand, the analysis which ascertains that poverty is one of the reasons behind crime has been explored for centuries and up till now, no decisive answer has been revealed.
The term poverty can be defined as a condition in which an individual`s resources (primarily material resources) are not sufficient to encounter their least requirements which may also include social involvement. Definitions of poverty can be further grounded in regards to a minimum standard and material conditions. Primarily poverty can be elucidated by an overall deficiency of enough material resources, therefore it is not alike as inequality, well – being or social mobility. Poverty is more dynamic and relative in spite of being fixed and absolute (Personal.psu.edu, 2017). Poverty is considered as one of the aspects that lead towards misconduct. To get safe and healthy lifestyle one who has a low level of income gets influenced because of negative circumstances and tends towards illegal activities such as theft and burglary to subsist wealthy lifestyle. Poor people tend to only connect themselves with other individuals who are poor. It is because an individual feels humiliated by someone who has higher socioeconomic status, or with an individual who has a higher level of education.
Straightforwardly, crime can be regarded as law?breaking condition, or more provisionally, crime can also be considered as a desecration of the criminal law as established within a particular jurisdiction at a specific time. Even though the criminal law is commonly stable once formed. The whys and wherefores particular criminal laws appear and not others, which laws shall be imposed, and who shall be put on trial are argued (Reiman and Leighton, 2010). Though some of the laws for instance which are in contradiction of killing and the practice of violence look like unanimously agreed as grounded on the moral consensus of society. Some other laws may perhaps categorise the wellbeing of the influential, rich as well as powerful, and for that reason are partial against the desires and interests of powerless as well as poor and those deprived of a voice. Crime brings a host of economic and social costs, over and over again with long long-term impressions on its victims (Huduser, 2017). The rates of incarceration and crime excessively influence minority communities and low income and lead to the economic and social marginalization of the poor.
Scope of the Project
No one enjoys being poor thus, each and every individual struggle to join the upper class in the community. To be alive an individual needs to drink and eat and in deprived of such basics, one has no option but to engage in crime if it is the viable option at that particular time (Coote, 2017). In addition to this, it is also believed by some of the researchers that individual or families who have a lower level of income intend to subsist in the environment from which they could get wealth and power.
A study done by Reiman and Leighton in the year 2010 confirms, ‘The Rich Get Richer and The Poor Get Prison’ (Reiman and Leighton 2010). For instance, the population of prisoner comprises uneven numbers of those who have subsisted in the most socially deprived are
In the context of criminological literature, the link between crime and poverty can be indefinable. Reasons for this aspect are apparent. It can be analysed from the different studies that if an individual struggle to pay out his bills and not certain that from where his or her next meal is coming from, then he or she is more expected to be incarcerated. When an individual fall into that phase, it’s not easy to break out (Personal.psu.edu, 2017). There are certain reasons which demonstrate that poverty or low income leads to crime; some of the reasons are-
- African American, as well as low-income communities, have a greater proportion of adult males who are behind the bars (and a number of lesser crimes or drugs than whites). This aspect is allied to mentors, grandfathers and fathers for young men to get better too. In devoid of a steady father figure young individual is more expected to trail the footpath of their father (Lacey, 2017).
- The concept of “war on drugs” has conventionally directed people who have lower income.
- An individual`s prospects for employment is used to be reduced by his or her criminal record; as a consequence, they are more prospected to move towards crime again.
- The values and goals of the neighbourhood are returned to the extent of crime which takes place (Lacey, 2017).
An economy which is going through weak condition leads to more underemployed and jobless people who may perhaps look for criminal opportunities as substitutes to deprived or non-existent work. An individual who has lower income can move towards criminal activities, such as- theft, murder, assault and many more. As the pressure or distress in people who have lower income level may perhaps higher and because of circumstances they get motivate to practice illegal or criminal activities.
The aspect of lower income is related to socio-economic factor. The socioeconomic status of an individual, family or community can lead to several aspects and crime is one of them. This status can impact the environment and quality of families; how the family manage with lower income, the resources and climate available in the community (for instance, recreational activities, schools as well as the availability of health care facilities), how the members of the community use their neighbourhoods, participation of community and safety. When we talk about to settle down of the community the main factor is price (Schneider and Gruman, 2012). Families who have higher social economic status have the prospect to select a wider range of neighbourhoods because they have potential or higher level income to afford such neighbourhoods. In communities which have high socioeconomic status often possess more resources and are safer. Unfortunately. Families who have lower socioeconomic status frequently times have only a few options available and then select the option which they can acquire for the available money. This aspect leads the families of low lower income at risk for the reason that the neighbourhoods which have lower socioeconomic status often have a lower level of community resources and educational facilities available. Furthermore, neighbourhoods which have lower socioeconomic status are largely in areas which are highly populated besides areas which are higher in crime. Those families who live in communities which have low socioeconomic status are a great hindrance.
Poverty and its Definition
Communities who have adequate resources and a higher level of income are less prospected towards committing criminal activities. As their neighbourhood and education put positive influence on them and motivate them to do something productive in legal ways. However, the families with low socioeconomic status are forced to live in neighbourhoods which have great environmental risks, for instance, use of drugs, violence as well as insufficient daycares and schools. The lower socioeconomic neighbourhood may deprive of resources which are advantageous to families, for example, sufficient services for child care, good schools, activities for recreation, for the reason that higher funds are not available with these neighbourhoods for such resources.
This factor of risk may perhaps an influence on individual`s sense of community. It takes account of a sense of membership, shared bonds, integration and influence. In communities which have low socioeconomic status or lower income level, safety is used to be considered as a major concern; it might be not easy to feel a sense of membership and get involved in such community. In such communities, parents spend their most of the time to supervise their children in order to keep them safe (Schneider and Gruman, 2012). This occurs for the reason that environmental risk aspect exists in communities have lower income level, for example, violence and usage of drugs.
The research done by (Criminallawandjustice.co.uk, 2017) revealed that poverty or low income has a direct and substantial influence on youngster’s prospect to involve in violence. Even when consisting of a range of risk gauges which would be expected to raise the tendency to take part in violence (together with the functioning of poor families, impulsivity, and misuse of substance and absence of connexion to school). According to this study, young people who live in a family in which the head of the family has lower income level or unemployed and individuals who grew up in communities with a deprivation level at high extent were significantly more likely to involve in criminal activities or violence (Criminallawandjustice.co.uk, 2017). The Edinburgh study revealed that youngsters living in poverty because of low-level income are over-represented amongst violent offenders.
Some studies state that individuals choose crime as an alternative as long as they determine that, possible outweigh the consequences or cost of compelling that. For that reason, people incarnate in poverty are more perspective to commit theft, larceny or burglary (Simpson, 2017).
In the year 2002, a research was done by the economists of World Bank- Norman Loyaza, Daniel Lederman and Pablo Fajnzylber; it has been revealed that inequality (especially low income) and crime rates are positively correlated between nations and within nations. The connection is a causation- lower income persuades rates of criminal activities.
In the US the crime has become a big problem in many areas with high poverty levels. Due to this many cases can be obtained some factors rises such as population density, unemployment, age population, minority population and the locality in the US these all factors are related to crime and also affect the poverty(Trello, 2017). When the factors are controlled, how much the crime may affect the poverty? About the accurate poverty can be controlled by focusing on the reduction of poverty and also aid the crime reduction and also gave the focus on the other areas.
The Concept of Crime and its Implications
The effects of the poverty on the crime can be explained by the different ways. In this, there is always a difference in the higher rate of poor than the rich. Due to the poverty, many individuals take the stress and due to this crime did such as robbery, theft, and other violent act etc. (Reiman and Leighton, 2010). Even due to the poverty it also affects the education it may cause the young youth due to this they do not get the quality schools, roles models, jobs and also it cost to crime and the youth also spending their time with the gangs.
With the crime there is always impoverished people due to this it obtain the material goods and due to this various crime often and also force them to acquire more goods as a result of this they commit the violent acts such as robbery, it is the biggest crime included in the violent crime ( Li, et al., 2016). The impoverished people due to this the crime is being caught and also have the many risks while performing the crime and it also affects the people and make the stress on the individual and due to this poverty should increase the crime rates.
In addition to this, there is a various crime is done and control by the poverty. Due to unemployment higher, it increases the poverty and due to this crime opportunity also increase which is due to the unemployed. It also affects the personal income capital which is inversely correlated with the poverty levels due to this the crimes are increasing faster and it has become the benefits for the thieves and robbers. In addition this because of the social class gaps the personal income per capita rates does not affect the poverty with the great extent and due to this, there is always a difference between the uppercase and lower class and due to this more crime was committed (Schneider and Gruman, 2012).
The variations of the population can also affect the crime in the different ways. The adolescents are also responsible for the committed.” The poor delinquent child is more related to the having the police record or school than the others may be a well-to-do delinquent”. The crime may be done at the age of the twenty-five and it may cause the higher rates of the crime is committed in this age (Coote, 2017). In the elder, the crime is done as a professional and it occurs the victims of crime.
The ratio of the minority population is also correlated with the poverty and it also affects the lots of the urban areas people and it raises the disproportional amounts of poverty. In this, due to this, the minorities can generate the lower wages and fewer jobs, and it results in the increment in the poverty rates. In the year 1995 all the Metropolitan Areas with the unemployment rates goes up to the 12% and it increased the population and also have the 30% of the minorities (Letts, 2017). In addition to this, the crimes may be increased due to the poverty and because of low-level income.
The Relationship between Low Income and Crime
The problem of criminal activities can be addressed by raising the income level of people; as this aspect can reduce the rate of crime, resulting to a more peaceful, safer and more organized community (Janda, 2017). In order to intrude the phase of crime in communities who have lower income and the peers of youth rigorously distressed by their acquaintance to violence; it is must carry out some actions more than the enactment of laws to prevent crime. Programs, as well as activities for funding, must intervene to assist the people preventing from crime and to provide enriching and healthy alternatives to criminal behaviour (Personal.psu.edu, 2017).
Conclusion
Poverty is a curse for the society and leads to a number of issues. People who have lower income are not able to get adequate resources. Because of family pressure, responsibilities and other aspects they may perhaps commit some illegal activities such as- use of drugs, assaulting, theft, burglary etc. It is must for the government to support people in getting their basic needs so that, they shall not get motivated to commit any criminal activities.
References
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