Introduction
Because of lack of consensus, people tend to define crime depending on their own understanding. McGuire (2004) defines crime as the departure from moral or social codes. Psychologists and criminologists have relentlessly tried to understand the factors that push individuals into committing crime. While criminologists seek to understand the social and environmental factors that lead to crime psychologists prefer to study the behavioral and biological factors instead (McGuire, 2004). These perceptions lead to two different views of criminal acts. One regards crime as a means to satisfying personal urges and the other holds that crime is the result of the social circumstances surrounding an individual.
According to Clark (2011), some people may commit crime to be accepted by a group of people in a society. Because of flawed views of the social world, individuals are forced to commit crime. As a result, crime is viewed as a consequence of social factors (Clark, 2011). Some people have, however, argued that being involved in crime is a choice and the society should never be blamed for an individual’s actions. According to Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990), nearly every crime is a simple act that is meant to satisfy a criminal’s desires. Agnew (2006) also noted that after committing an offence, criminals try to justify their actions by playing the victim and rationalizing the unlawful acts.
Although there are varying reasons for committing crime, the offender always chooses to be involved.
Crimes as a Consequence of Social Circumstances
Among many others, social circumstances that lead to criminal behavior include family disruption, unemployment and, poor integration of immigrants into a society (Entorf & Spengler, 2002). In some situations, social conditions and pressure from others have led criminals to believe that they have every reason to commit a crime so as to meet a need. This makes offenders to claim that their criminal acts were justifiable.
Research has also shown that people easily commit crime when they lose jobs and their debts accumulate. This increases causes o them and reduces their level of self-control as they try to figure out alternatives that are available for survival (Agnew, 2006).
Most people who focus more on external factors strongly believe that outside events provide the driving force in their lives and as such are easily influenced by others to commit crime. Most criminals have also altered their thought patterns making it easy for them to commit crime. Some are convinced that they deserve compensation for certain situations in their lives while others may be addicts who are not able to control themselves (Clark, 2011).
Social Circumstances Associated with Crime
Family and Community Disruption
According to Entorf and Spengler (2002), disruption of the family unit is a factor that promotes unlawful activities in the society. Young people often commit petty crimes in order to get attention from parents particularly when there is disharmony at home. The structure of a community may also contribute to the growing number of criminals especially if young people are left to grow without proper guidance (Entorf & Spengler).
Unresolved Disputes
Cases of unresolved disputes in social encounters may cause individuals to grow with a criminal mindset that later affects them in the future. Agnew argues that when someone says something that angers the offender or threatens some aspect of his or her personality, the outcome could be negative emotions and consequently, crime may seem to be the only solution to the provocation (Agnew, 2006). Situations like this could lower the degree of self-control in an individual and in spite of the fact that there are other peaceful avenues for dispute resolution, the individual often feels pressured, possibly by friends, to respond with a criminal act (Agnew, 2006).
Associations with Other Criminals
As the saying goes, bad company corrupts good morals. People tend to adopt the behavioral patterns of those they closely associate with. The consequences of the association could be positive or negative. According to Agnew (2006), individuals frequently drift in and of out of organized criminal groups depending on their needs and the interests of the group members. This kind of negative peer pressure diminishes an individual’s sense of right or wrong and increase the likelihood that he or she will be involved in criminal activities (Clark, 2011).
Brief Tempting Opportunities for Crime
Agnew (2006) also pointed out that offenders may commit crimes with negligible risk, gain possession of an object that reduces the effects of crime or find an attractive target for their criminal activity. As an example, one may rob a rich individual convinced that the said individual is insured and has nothing to lose. The offender therefore minimizes his or her risk and is able to justify the criminal act (Clark 2011).
Desperate Need for Money
Majority of offenders often claim that they engage in crimes involving monetary gain when they are faced with money problems (Agnew, 2011). According to Clark (2011), offenders will commonly play the victim of their circumstances in order to be absolved for any wrongdoing. Their level of self control may be temporarily reduced causing them to act in an impulsive and risky manner (Agnew, 2006).
Crimes as a Result of Personal Choices
Many people believe that no one commits a crime without a stimulus (McGuire, 2004). Whatever the motivation, the offender feels justified to commit the crime. Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) argued that crimes are fundamentally committed to satisfy the basic need for pleasure and pain avoidance. Psychologists tend to favor this approach to understanding crime and consequently, they attribute crime to the individual rather than circumstances (McGuire, 2004).
Research has also demonstrated that media plays a big role in promoting criminal activities either through print or television. By portraying crime as being exciting and full of monetary reward they get to lead most youth astray (McGuire, 2002). The youth therefore end up committing crime hoping to find an easy way to make money while leading a lifestyle they had previously only dreamt of.
Other common motivations for crime are greed, strong feelings of vengeance, jealousy or hatred especially when combined with intoxicants such as drugs or alcohol that are known to loosen one’s inhibitions (McGuire, 2002). For this reasons, the viewpoint of crime as a personal choice seems to be in harmony with the definition of crime as an event that involves force or fraud meant to satisfy self interest (Gofffredson & Hirschi, 1990,).
From the arguments presented in this paper, it is clear that being involved in crime is a personal choice and the motivation for the crime does not really matter. When a society accommodates bad behavior people get the impression that the impression that committing crime is acceptable. Controlled by social circumstances, an individual ends up developing attributes such as playing the victim or feeling wronged by society and uses them to justify his or her actions. According to (McGuire, 2004), criminal acts may result from a variety of factors that include the environment and family conditions. Even though this is the case, it is impossible to overlook the aspect of personal responsibility. It is misleading for an individual to claim that he or she was coerced by external forces to get involved in crime. When people choose to live an honest life, it is certainly possible to stay away from crime regardless of their social circumstances. For example, there are many people who live in poverty but have chosen to live a dignified life. Others have been brought up in dysfunctional families but have grown to become responsible citizens (McGuire, 2004).
Conclusion
Several arguments have been presented by different people regarding the subject of crime and the reasons for committing crime. Although many scholars are convinced that social circumstances are to blame for criminal acts, this is an incorrect view according to others who see it as being severely flawed. This, however, does not in any way imply that social factors are not important in the matters of criminal activity.
While most criminals feel pressured to commit crimes due to their social conditions, it is not proper for any one to blame the society. Every one must be ready to take responsibility for all their actions. It is important to note that to a great extent, personal choice and not social factors cause people to be involved in crime.
References
Agnew, R. (2006). Storylines as a Neglected Cause of Crime. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 43 (2) 119 – 147. Web.
Clark, M. (2011). The Role of Social Cognition in the Development of the Criminal Career. Internet Journal of Criminology, ISSN 2045-6743: 1 – 25. Web.
Entorf, H., & Spengler, H. (2002). Crime in Europe: Causes and Consequences. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.
Gottfredson, M. R., & Hirschi, T. (1990). A General Theory of Crime. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
McGuire, J. (2004). Understanding Psychology and Crime: Perspectives on Theory and Action. Berkshire, England: Open University Press.