The issue of wealth disparities in the United States has been one of those contentious issues with several social dilemmas. The impacts, such as economic deprivation and crime, are one of them. In this discourse, the limits in economic mobility and large concentrations of disadvantage are discussed as to how this can enhance the probability of individuals from poor backgrounds becoming criminals. In general, studying how criminological theories elaborate on why poverty results in crime will primarily contribute to the following discussion. The paper will also distinguish between income, wealth, and financial assets in terms of crime. It is empirical that the relationship between economic mobility and crime within society has been proven. Lastly, the inquiry will dwell on some categories of crimes to show that people with little cash try to solve their problems through crime.
The Restricted Economic Mobility and Criminal Activities
The theory of strain helps to understand the connection between criminality and poverty. This theory is based on a strain by Robert Merton; in his view, strain happens when the person fails to achieve life ambitions legally. Furthermore, the low moveability of poor people on the social ladder due to the incapacity of capital may be associated with this theory. Frustration may occur in cases where the money path for accomplishment is closed, and thus, some people are forced to transgress the law to fulfill their desires.
Additionally, while the concept sheds light on the connection between crime and poverty, it also emphasizes the role of social structures in conditioning criminal conduct. It highlights that economic limitations and unbalanced wealth distribution create stressors that people face, much like increasing the likelihood of engaging in illegal activities, according to Sznycer and Patrick (2020). This means that the strain theory has valuable contributions regarding the difficulties concealed in crime patterns within a society, including social class and economic disadvantage.
Differentiating Income, Wealth, and Financial Assets
It is very important to realize the distinction between income, wealth, and financial assets to comprehend the relationship between crime and economic disadvantage. Money earned by an individual over a period, usually derived from wages or salary, is referred to as income. However, wealth includes everything a person has, like movable and immovable property, including investments, stocks, bonds, savings, etc. As part of the wealth, financial assets include shares, bonds, deposits, and other monetary instruments.
It is pointless to regard income as a measure of economic well-being because wealth is a much better indicator than income, which would not indicate purchasing power. However, if a small number of people is controlling wealth, it increases economic inequality, thus further limiting the chances of better lives for disadvantaged individuals (Jetten et al., 2021). Concentrating people who cannot leave the economy, such people, by this feature, are wealthy enough. Therefore, such concentration creates a perfect environment for various illegal ways to deal with financial instability.
Several researchers have studied the link between crime and economic mobility. For instance, researchers in Cheung and Gunby (2022) investigated the life courses of people from disadvantaged groups. The study found that people on a higher economic scale were less likely to commit crimes as they aged than those with low economic mobility. This may imply that among the factors that cause crime, one of them is poverty.
Criminal coping mechanisms are a prevalent form of escape for individuals in the economic environment that is being used to mask financial issues. There are two crime categories- property crimes and drug-related offenses. They are mostly done by people who cannot afford to buy necessary items for survival or meet their main needs. Moreover, to fight economic survival, poor people might knowingly or unknowingly steal or commit other acts linked to property (Bansal et al., 2023). In addition to this, drug-related offenses demonstrate how even economically disadvantaged sections of the population might turn to criminal activities in order to survive. It is an opportunity for high profits that makes people involved in the illegal drug trade initiate their businesses by exchanging financial crises, leading them into the illegal drug trade. In order to increase their income through criminality, individuals from disadvantaged families can choose a way of participating in drug-related activities.
In summary, crime and the economic gap are complicated problems that one must steep in criminological theory from the sociological and social class perspectives. Strain Theory requires limited economic expansion, so criminals engage in behaviors that lead to criminal activities. In addition, income, wealth, financial assets, and poverty demonstrate how prosperity affects the likelihood of offending. Empirical data confirms this connection and negative economic parameters hurt the number of perpetrators. Petty as they are, property or drug offenses should be good examples of crimes initiated by those who do not have money for subsistence. To lower the crime rate and see that social justice prevails, we need to focus on inequality in wealth allocation and endorse the smooth flow of social advancement.
References
Bansal, H., Badiye, A., Tandan, R., & Kapoor, N. (2023). Crime and society: an introduction to criminology. In Textbook of Forensic Science (pp. 1-40). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
Cheung, L., & Gunby, P. (2022). Crime and mobility during the COVID-19 lockdown: A preliminary empirical exploration. New Zealand Economic Papers, 56(1), 106-113.
Jetten, J., Peters, K., Álvarez, B., Casara, B. G. S., Dare, M., Kirkland, K., … & Mols, F. (2021). Consequences of economic inequality for the social and political vitality of society: A social identity analysis. Political Psychology, 42, 241-266.
Lau, T. F. T. (2020). The Concept of Anomie in Explaining Crime. Bellarmine Law Society Review, 11(1).
Sznycer, D., & Patrick, C. (2020). The origins of criminal law. Nature human behaviour, 4(5), 506-516.
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