There are countless reasons folks live lives committed to crime. Many are caused by external circumstances such as adverse childhood experiences. There are no one-size-fits-all criminals. Criminals are from all ethnic, social and economic groups. They all have one thing in common: they have committed offenses against society, and it is expected they will be punished.
Many believe when folks commit crimes, they lack values and standards of conduct to serve as barometers for their actions. That may be true in some cases, but there are also some who commit crimes because of economic hardship.
The current economic downturn is causing many to commit all sorts of crimes, including murder. Many see their self-worth rooted in their occupations and when they become unemployed, they believe they have lost their identites. It is often said that given the right circumstances, anyone is capable of murder. It’s a chilling thought, but recent events have given that notion a great deal of credence.
Materialism is the motivator for many acts of crime. Some believe that with excessive possessions they will have happiness, which lead them to rob or kill to acquire the things they believe they need. Some of these same folks may have a sense of entitlement as many will shift the blame for their personal failures onto others. Many grew up not being accountable for their actions and as adults, they still believe the world owe them something.
Some folks merely repeat the actions they witnessed growing up. Many were abused and neglected and, as a result have no sense of what it means to have self-control. The justice system often does not consider mitigating circumstances for this category of criminals and tend to treat them no different than other more hardened criminals. Folks that might have been helped had they received counseling or ongoing therapy often went on to become seasoned criminals.
Some criminals have mental deficiencies, such as low IQs or congenital diseases and do not always understand the repercussions of their actions. There is ongoing controversy regarding what should be done with these groups. If they are institutionalized, they are often medicated and warehoused and when released are often left alone to wander the streets without any type of supervision.
There is also a different category of criminals who steal because of sickness or compulsiveness: they are called kleptomaniacs. This group is compelled to steal for no other reason than the thrill they receive doing it. They often take things for which they have no use. The quirkiness of this illness is that folks in this group are usually able to purchase the things they steal. Kleptomania is often tied to other more overarching diseases, such as depression.
There are parallels between criminals who are are bullies. Many criminals objectionable behavior started during childhood when they gained a measure of satisfaction by commanding and controlling the actions of others. No matter, the origins or reasons for their crimes, the desire to live and perpetuate a life of crime are choices each criminal makes, and, unless mentally challenged, each should be punished for the crimes they commit.
