Relationship between Poverty Levels and Crime - Essay Example

Relationship between poverty levels and crime: A sociological perspective “Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime” Aristotle Introduction: Concerns regarding the relationship between the equitable distribution of income and crime have been raised by various sociological researchers over the years, thus making it one of the most widely discussed and debated issues in sociology. Hence the interactive nature of crime and poverty is described as the foundation of modern criminology. Various sociological theories have supported and highlighted the impact of crime on poverty (Siegel, 2011). Various studies have indicated that crime rates were found to be relatively higher in large urban areas, especially in areas where there is a high concentration of poor households as opposed to the sparsely populated rural areas where the residents were found to be far more affluent than their urban counterparts. Furthermore prisons include a large concentration of criminals who are poor rather than the rich and the famous. These instances indicate the presence of a strong and undeniable social pattern, thus substantiating the role of social status as a foundation of modern criminology (Siegel, 2011; Andersen and Taylor, 2010; Guarino-Ghezzi and Trevino, 2010). Preliminary Hypothesis: This essay probes the hypothesis that crime and economic misery are inextricably linked and in the process includes a comprehensive review of various theoretical and empirical evidences, supporting the claims made. Significance of the study: Although the theme of economic deprivation and crime is not a novel concept it has managed to garner considerable interest among sociologists and criminologists alike to explain the drastic rise in criminal activities over the years. This study aims to explore the various effects and implications of poverty on crime by way of theoretical and empirical evidence, thus adding to the existing research and asserting the positive relationship between the two. Poverty and crime is rampant in the United States. This study would help in understanding the various ways in which poverty motivates crime and the substantial evidence presented may help in reaffirming the claims made in previous studies. The observations made in the study may provide a sound foundation for analyzing the negative implications of a disproportionate society and suggest ways for the policymakers to overcome the same. Literature Review: The existing empirical and theoretical evidence in support of the relationship between poverty and crime is strong and growing (Glaeser et al., 1996; Kovandzic et al., 1998; Levinson, 2002; Siegel, 2011; Venkatesh, 2006; Garland, 2001). Various explanations have been offered by sociologists to ascertain the impact and influence of poverty on crime and vice versa including the role of behavioral, developmental, genetic, and/or racial factors in motivating criminal behavior. However the role of poverty has consistently found common consensus among the researchers. The literature review focuses on the theoretical explanations provided by various researchers and help in substantiating the preliminary hypothesis mentioned in the previous section of this study. Theoretical perspectives: The key theories discussed in this section include the social structure theory, the social disorganization theory, and the criminal opportunity theory. Social structure theory The social structure theory is widely used to explain the relationship between poverty and high incidences of criminal activities in the United States as well elsewhere. This theory essentially associates high crime rates to the social class/ background of the individuals, implying that crime and/or criminals are typically concentrated in lower-income classes because the drawbacks of the social structure play a key role in motivating criminal behavior and increase their likelihood of engaging in criminal activities (Samaha, 2005). The association is particularly stronger in the United States since it is a highly stratified society with a wide gap between the rich and the poor with a strong and clear distinction in their individual lifestyles, attitudes, and behavior. Such disparities in the socio-economic status in the country tend to disproportionately affect those belonging to racially diverse communities, in particular, thus explaining the high concentration of poor households among the racially diverse population and a simultaneous rise in crime among such groups (Siegel, 2011). Social disorganization theory: The social disorganization theory put forward by Shaw and McKay (1942) suggests that poor neighborhoods have a common pattern which is marked by a high concentration of people belonging to racially diverse communities as well as those belonging to disrupted /dysfunctional families. The theory further states that people belonging to poor neighborhoods are generally devoid of any access to education and are generally alienated from the mainstream society by virtue of their social status. This leads to a general lack of social cohesion among the poor which in turn results in a complete lack of social control required to curb criminal tendencies and behavior. Hence people belonging to poor households are more prone to engage in criminal activities, thus substantiating the strong relationship between poverty and crime (qtd. in Levinson, 2002). Criminal opportunity theory: This theory suggests that economic deprivation directly affects crime rates due to the disorganization in the social structure which eventually leads to a strain on a certain section of the society (particularly those below poverty line) compelling them to resort to criminal behavior to overcome the gap. Poverty acts as a motivating factor in influencing criminal behavior and provides increased opportunity to individuals from poor social backgrounds to commit crimes (Akers, Potter, and Hill, 2012; Ferrell, 1999; Hannon, 2002). Discussion & Analysis: Currently over fifty million Americans i.e. approximately 16% of the countrys total population is struggling to survive. Furthermore, the statistics also indicated that racially diverse populations living in urban areas were disproportionately affected by poverty and that the poor living in urban areas are far more vulnerable to struggle financially (CBS, 2012). These statistics are consistent with the theoretical explanations which indicate that there is a high concentration of poor households in urban areas as compared to the rural areas. As the poverty rates continue to increase, there is a simultaneous rise in criminal activities. Although the overall crime rates were on a decline during the year 2011, a strong and positive relationship between poverty and crime rates was observed. According to available reports, the cities with high poverty rates were incidentally found to report high incidences of crime. Detroit, which is popularly known as the countrys richest school districts also reported highest rates of crime in the year 2011 (NBC News, 2012). Conclusion: The American society today finds itself in the midst of a complicated nexus of urban poverty and crime. It has, hence, become all the more important for policy makers, social researchers, and the government to take active measures to curb the phenomenon and bring a complete halt to the conundrum in a bid to help stabilize the economy and prevent any further deterioration of the social fabric. References: Akers, T. A., Potter, R. H., Hill, C. V., (2012). Epidemiological criminology: A public health approach to crime and violence. John Wiley & Sons Publication. Andersen, M. L., Taylor, H. F., (2010). Sociology: The essentials. CA: Cengage Learning Publication, p. 204-206. Ferrell, J., (1999). Cultural criminology. Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 25: p. 395-418. Garland, D., (2001). The Culture of Control: Crime and Social Order in Contemporary Society. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Guarino-Ghezzi, S., Trevino, J., (2010). Understanding crime: A multidisciplinary approach. Elseiver Publishing, p. 26-28. Hannon, L., (2002). Criminal opportunity theory and the relationship between poverty and property crime. Sociological Spectrum, Vol. 22 (3): p. 363-381. Samaha, J., (2005). Criminal justice. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning Publication, p. 88-89 Shaw and McKay (1942) qtd. in Levinson, D., (2002). Encyclopedia of crime and punishment. Vol.1 Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Books Publication, p. 1215-1216 Siegel, L. J., (2011). Criminology. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning Publication, p. 189-191 Venkatesh, S. Alladi., (2006). Off the Books: The Underground Economy of the Urban Poor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. CBS (2012). Census: U.S. poverty rate spikes, nearly 50 million Americans affected [Online] Available at: http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/11/15/census-u-s-poverty-rate-spikes-nearly-50-million-americans-affected/ [Accessed: February 25, 2013] NBC News (2012). [Online] The most dangerous cities in America. Available at: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/most-dangerous-cities-america-832351 [Accessed: February 25, 2013] Read More