With the prison population increasing day by day, it has stirred a conversation surrounding the nature of these incarcerated individuals, specifically about whether their circumstances made them that way or if some people are just genetically predisposed to be put behind bars. This essay will take a look at both sides of the argument before coming to a concrete decision.
On the one hand, to make the argument that some people are bad from the moment they are born is a very natural reaction to seeing the damages that evil behaviors can bring to society. The average person cannot be expected to be sympathetic when seeing serial killers or rapists, and so the path of least resistance for them is to conclude that some are beyond redemption and have been that way since they came onto this earth. It is definitely easy to think like that, and this makes it easier to cope with life’s many misfortunes. However, it must be noted that this line of thinking can lead to complete social apathy regarding larger societal issues and can be the stepping stones that cause racial and class discrimination on a wide scale.
On the other hand, looking at the concept of crime as a deep-rooted issue will make the solutions for it more apparent. A person’s upbringing can heavily affect how they turn out in life, with poverty being the key factor when it comes to creating criminals. To elaborate, a poor family will have little chance of putting their children through a proper education system, locking them out of the job market. With that, stealing and begging on the streets will be the only choice that many of these poor people will have when they grow up. Moreover, financial troubles can be the main primer that causes friction between family members, exposing younglings to violence at a young age. Another aspect that should also be considered when talking about crime is the way that a society views mental health. This is because a happy family and an adequate wage do not shield someone from falling victim to mental illnesses. In the case that one does not get access to a proper mental care facility, not only they, but all of those around them will fall victim to the symptoms of this terrible illness. Taking mental wellness into account will also better explain the more vile acts that anyone would find difficult to rationalize.
In conclusion, even if the notion that some evildoers are born that way is enticing for some, it is important to comprehend the danger of such a thought and to view criminals with a more sympathetic lens. In my opinion, no matter how evil a person might become, they should still be viewed as human beings, and believing this is the first step to truly tackling crime.