Causes of crime Flashcards
Upbringing
If a child has been brought up in a criminal neighbourhood or by a criminal family, then they may not regard criminal activity as a negative thing. It would be their way of life
Poverty
Someone may commit a crime because they see this as the only way to survive
Greed
People commit crimes because they might be jealous of those who have more money or better possessions than themselves. As a result, they turn to crime
Hate
Someone may steal from, or damage the possessions of the person they dislike. They may also physically harm the person, or someone they love.
e.g. Steven Lawrence was beaten to death because he was black
Addiction
When people are addicted to a certain activity. They could be addicted to drugs, gambling etc. This means that they sometimes have to commit crimes in order to feed their addiction
Mental disorders
Some mental disorders mean that the criminal has no empathy and will never understand that they have hurt someone, or what they did was wrong. Also, some individuals with learning disabilities are very gullible and easily lead, which could lead to this individual committing a crime for someone else
Protest
Some people deliberately break the law as a form of protest.
e.g. the suffragettes committed arson, smashed windows and damaged paintings in their campaigns for women’s rights.
Martin Luther King & Steve Biko held illegal gatherings of protest