In this day and age, the reasons why individuals get involved in crimes have become a topic of debate. Some people believe that this issue can be caused by the external environment, while others attribute it to internal factors. Though there is support for the latter idea, I am in favor of the former one.
Admittedly, there are reasons to believe that crime can be the result of problematic psychological processes and genetic issues. To demonstrate, Le Van Luyen, who is a famous criminal in Vietnam for killing the whole family of four members, was raised in a well-off family and well-educated in his school years. In some specific cases similar to this illustration, social influence should not be regarded as the major cause, but instead mental and genetic aspects should be taken into consideration.
Despite the aforementioned line of reasoning, it is more likely that social circumstances are the contributors to most existing crime. In current society, where many individuals suffer from critical issues, such as hunger and illiteracy, committing crimes can be considered as an immediate solution to their problems. Empirical studies have shown that the criminal rate, especially for those involved in violence and robbery, is significantly higher in low-income areas with limited access to education. Furthermore, it is also evident that children with divorced parents are more likely to get involved in criminal activities due to their lack of parental education.
In conclusion, while both internal and external factors can be regarded as the causes of crime, I believe that the latter is more convincing. In order to effectively reduce the criminal rate, social issues, including poverty and illiteracy, should be tackled.