Many people hold a belief that criminal behavior stems from an individuals’ inherent nature, while others argue that poverty and social factors are culprits leading to the situation of crime. This essay will first delve into examining both viewpoints before stating my support for the latter.
On the one hand, there are several compelling reasons why people suppose that crime is a result of the perpetrator’s nature. One in particular is that certain traits including impulsivity, aggression and callousness are precursors to immoral and unethical behaviors. Specifically, if people with these traits perceive any threats to their self-interest then they could do uncontrolled acts such as fisting or cursing others. Another point worth mentioning is that some people carry psychological disorders such as stress or depression. This is perfectly exemplified in the case of some prisoners who are diagnosed suffering from depression before they are sentenced. For these reasons, a criminal’s nature is definitely worth looking at as the cause of their offenses.
On the other hand, I side with those who advocate for circumstances that give rise to crime. The first reason is that some individuals may turn to criminal behaviors when they face limited opportunities, financial insecurity and social inequality that contribute to frustration, hopelessness and despair. Therefore, they would opt for criminal acts as a means of survival or escape. For instance, a young adult who grows up in a community with few employment possibilities may feel that their only choice for financial survival is to engage in drug dealing. Another reason is that the deficiency of education bestows enormous drawbacks upon teenagers’ behaviors. Specifically, without the attendance to schools adolescents may not acknowledge the consequence of crime and easily become involved in criminal activities such as theft or drug addiction.
In conclusion, one’s personality is to blame for crime, I am inclined to believe that criminals are attributable to individuals’ current circumstances. It is advisable that the government should allocate more resources on education institutions, especially on laws for young people with the aim of mitigating the rate of increasing crime rate.