Connections Between Crime and Poverty

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In March 2007 a study done by the McClatchy Newspapers had found that the ranks of the severely impoverished are rapidly escalating (Williams, 2007). The study showed that the poverty level in America had reached its highest point in 32 years (Williams, 2007). Nearly Sixteen million Americans had been found to be in a deep to severe level of poverty (Williams, 2007). The level of poverty on went up after the economic crash in 2009. But has the increased level of poverty led to an increase in violence?

A lot of outside effects are often over looked when looking at the correlation between poverty and crime. One of those factors is a higher rate of mental illness among lower income people (Taylor, 2006). Poverty also causes higher levels of stress that may lead people to perform criminal acts. But the same can be said for the wealthy in this country. Look at the economic collapse as well the actions of the board of directors at WorldCom and Enron.

But poverty can creates special circumstances that lead to crime. Crime offers a way in which people stuck in a life of poverty can obtain material goods that they cannot often attain through any available legitimate means (Taylor, 2006). Often threat or force is used to help them acquire even more goods, this induces them to commit violent acts such as robbery, which is the second most common violent crime (Taylor, 2006). For many poor people, the prize that comes from the criminal act may outweigh the risk of being caught, especially given that their opportunity cost is lower than that of a wealthier person. Things like this can perpetuate the idea that poverty causes violence (Taylor, 2006).

However, many other factors influence crime and are correlated with poverty as well. ...

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Plumer, B. (2010, October 22). The Relationship Between Crime Rates And Poverty | The New Republic. The New Republic. Retrieved June 15, 2011, from http://www.tnr.com/article/80316/relationship-poverty-crime-rates-economic-conditions

Taylor, B. (n.d.). Poverty & Crime - Fundamental Finance. Fundamental Economics. Retrieved June 14, 2011, from http://economics.fundamentalfinance.com/povertycrime.php

Vogel, S. (2008, August 24). Does poverty = crime? Scholars disagree -- GazetteXtra. GazetteXtra. Retrieved June 14, 2011, from http://gazettextra.com/news/2008/aug/24/does-poverty-crime-scholars-disagree/

Williams, J. (n.d.). Poverty and Crime. Christian Association for Prison Aftercare (CAPA) : Networking Prison Aftercare Providers. Retrieved June 14, 2011, from http://capaassociation.org/newsletter_N009/Articles/PovertyCrime.htm

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