The Link Between Poverty and Crime - 1654 Words

â€Å"Many people living in poverty do not want to be living in poverty. In order to obtain a higher level of socioeconomic status, crime is seen as the only option.† (Wilson, 1987). Crime exists everywhere in the world – in rural and urban areas in many countries, in the East and West, and among all types of people. This has led many government officials, especially those in urban areas, to focus largely on the reduction of crime among their respective constituencies and has led others to speculate on the factors that influence the amount of crime and how those factors can be controlled. Crime has been around since man and there is no doubt that it will continue to be around, until there is an existence of a perfect world. But for now, we†¦show more content†¦It is very hard for people living under poverty to come out of is usually because of the lack of necessary education or qualifications that are required by most well paying companies and the only jobs they will get are those that do not pay well nor provide benefits. There are a number of theories that explain this. I will take a look at two of them, The Functional (Strain) Theory, and the Interractionism (Labeling) Theory. Robert K. Merton developed the structural strain theory as an extension of the functionalist perspective on deviance. This theory traces the origins of deviance to the tensions that are caused by the gap between cultural goals and the means people have available to achieve those goals. Societies are characterized by both culture and social structure. Culture establishes goals for people in society while social structure provides (or fails to provide) the means for people to achieve those goals. According to Merton, in a well-integrated society, people use accepted and appropriate means to achieve the goals that society establishes. In this case, the goals and the means of the society are in balance. It is when the goals and means are not in balance with each other that deviance is likely to occur. This imbalance between cultural goals and structurally available means can actually leadShow MoreRelatedThe Relationship between Poverty and Crime879 Wor ds   |  3 PagesIntroduction Poverty and the relationship it has to crime is a long standing sociological, humanists and historical phenomenon. From the plight of the third world to the violence soaked inner city streets of the 1980’s, the relationship of crime and poverty has been the source of a great deal of social commentary. In societies throughout the world and throughout history there has always been a traditional measure of deviance through relative income gaps. Both poverty and crime as well as theirRead MoreDetermining The Main Cause Of Criminal Behavior1569 Words   |  7 Pagesgenetic makeup what makes a criminal or is it the environment? Crime can be defined in many different ways; different societies all over the world choose to define crimes differently. Poverty and crime have a very close relationship. The UN and the / World Bank have crime listed as one of the obstacles to tackle a country’s development. Countries and governments that are dealing with poverty often also have to t ackle the issue of crime as they try to develop their country’s economy and society. ARead MoreAnalyzing Violence and Crime in USA1357 Words   |  5 Pagesintroduce the subject of juvenile crime and youth violence and indentify similarities to these situations around the world. Next, this essay will explore the idea and role of capitalism and hot it contributes to the problem. Finally, this writing will discuss the medias role within this complex situation and how it affects the circumstances revolving around this particular problem. Juvenile Crime and Youth Violence Juvenile crime is not new. Juveniles have committed crimes for as long as human historyRead MorePoverty and Crime (Sociology)1600 Words   |  7 Pages Poverty and Crime A social issue that has always intrigued me was crime (petty crime, violent crime, etc) in impoverished urban areas and the social and economic impact that crime causes in these areas. Before conducting my research into this topic, I have always pondered why crime and poverty are so closely related. Are these two so closely linked solely because of the lack of income in the area? Or are there some other unknown or unexplained reasons that influence crime in impoverishedRead MoreThe Theory Of Social Disorganization Theory Essay1369 Words   |  6 Pagesin poverty have a greater chance at committing crimes than those who do not. There are many possible factors and reasons as to why people who live in poverty can commit more crimes that those who do not and this essay will attempt to explain that. The independent variable for this argument would be the poverty that individuals have to endure and live through, while the dependent variables are crime rates in that neighborhood. Although various theories can be used in order to explain the link betweenRead MoreDoes Illiteracy Affect Crime and Poverty Rates?1757 Words   |  7 PagesDoes Illiteracy Affect Crime and Poverty Rates? Illiteracy is a growing problem in the United States. The amount of juvenile delinquents entering correctional facilities that are considered â€Å"functionally illiterate† is at an astonishing 85%. Being functionally illiterate means that these children lack reading and comprehension skills that are necessary in order to function in everyday situations as well as the ability to work and maintain a job. Complete illiteracy means a person cannot read orRead MoreSocioeconomic Conditions And Property Crime1738 Words   |  7 Pagesthe relationship between socioeconomic conditions and property crime. Socioeconomic conditions could be anything from poverty, to business revenue declining, race, and family life. In â€Å"Socioeconomic Conditions and Property Crime: A Comprehensive Review and Test of the Professional Literature,† written by Ralph C. Allen, it is stated that â€Å"empirical findings selectively confirm the importance of macroeconomic stability and criminal ju stice system actions in reducing property crime activity† (AllenRead MoreRace And Ethnicity : The United States1071 Words   |  5 Pages124, Asians $63,218, Hispanic or Latino $50,861, Multiracial at $89,428, American Indian at $63,373, and other at $34,991. The income levels of African American households are below the poverty level. There is growing research on the â€Å"links between poverty and health† (Braveman, Etgerter, and Williams, 2010). Poverty Income inequality is a serious problem in Washington, D.C. the amount of poor minorities in the District of Columbia is alarming. The website City-Data.com reports that according to raceRead MorePoverty And Crime1041 Words   |  5 PagesLongman dictionary defines crime as â€Å"an offence that is punishable by law†. As BBC Bitesize 2017 describes, doing something wrong is different than committing a crime. For example lying is not considered as a crime but it is a wrong act that people carry out without getting punished. But why do people commit crime? Some criminologists believe that people commit crime because it is in their nature. It has been proved that some people are more likely to commit crime than others due to the circumstancesRead MoreSocial Structure Theories Focus On The Economic And Social Conditions1480 Words   |  6 Pagessocial conditions in which lower-class youth live. The relationship between socioeconomic structure and crime is a relationship that scholars concluded that effected urban areas in which it promoted criminal behavior. While studies have shown a direct link between lower-class citizens and crime it is mistake to predispose all of them to a life of crime. Social structure theories examine why lower-class youth are more likely to commit crime than middle and upper-class youth. Social structure theories