Is crime a choice?

[OddBeMe]

Seminal work by Becker in ‘68 suggests so. But factor in personality disorders and economic misery…is it really choice? Is a drug addict to blame for his last hit? I guess.

[Jersey2]

There have always been criminals. People who will take what is not theirs because it is easy. Look at Bernie Madoff. He wasn’t economically disadvantaged. He had a high powered job, respect and recognition but still he swindled huge sums of money.

Did he have a personality disorder? Who cares, he hurt a lot of people by taking all their money, many of whom were too old to make more money. He knew what he was doing.

There are very few Jean Valjean‘s (Les Misérables) who steal bread to feed their starving family.

[ProbablyClueless]

It's a choice in the sense that anyone and everyone can decide how to spend their time. Environmental factors definitely play an impact though.

I know lots of people who born into all kinds of poverty, and yet they still didn't resort to crime.

I think it really boils down to what kind of family life you had growing up.

[OddBeMe]

I do agree. Getting to the bottom of and treating personality disorders will help crime but we can’t make it an excuse.

[GOLDFISH_smile]

Crime is a choice, but like any choice it is much more likely to be chosen under stress and pressure. Also when the consequences are not as bad as the consequences of NOT committing the crime are. Like that guy who went to jail so he could get heart surgery bc he couldn't afford it on the outside.

There are people who just don't have morals or like pain and will do bad crimes that hurt people regardless. But usually if the situation was better then people wouldn't care enough to do bad crimes.

[Drewtate]

You ever hear the theory that every single American breaks 3 laws per day.

But to be a criminal is a choice. Take the shoplifting epidemics in liberal cities, those people aren't shoplifting loaves of bread to feed their starving families. Often a culture of crime develops.

[DrPepper12]

"The matrix of entrapment is socio-economic"
- Immortal Technique

Yeah, it's a choice. Choosing self-preservation over death like every other life form.

[msc545]

It's a choice in that nobody is actually forced to do crime. That being said, some people are so impaired that they really don't know the difference between right and wrong quite literally.

[NaultD]

As much as my career aspects are my choice.

[Sevenpointfive]

i do believe it's a decision one makes

[Dargil]

Yes, like infidelity.

[MisterWack]

Crime is a choice.