Factors Contributing To People Commit Crimes

People commit crimes for different reasons. It could be in their nature, traits instilled in them through genes since before birth and the way they are born or the way they are made which is the nurture argument that suggests the environment and society they are brought up in is the reason people commit crime.

Research on the brain has shown that genetics does play a part as many criminals suffer from antisocial personality disorder which results in them lacking empathy and having traits such as antisocial behavior, being emotionally detached, putting their own needs and wants first, being impulsive and aggressive. An example of someone with ASPD is Ted Bundy who raped and killed more than 30 young woman and girls. Bundy had qualities such as being deceitful and often used false charm to lure his victims. He used this quality to escape prison twice and go on to kill more people in this time before being executed. The reason it took so long to arrest him was because he was perceived as ‘good’ by society which did not correlate with his split persona of a deviant person who killed to feel in control; as an intelligent person Bundy understood this and used it to help his manipulation. Other qualities including Bundy’s lack of empathy were shown by the continuous killings even after he had been caught and the lack of emotion he showed for his victims. This was also expressed by Bundy when he said “I don’t feel guilty for anything.” Cultural determinism suggests that the environment we are brought up in can be a reason crimes are committed. When people grow up with a lack of money they may not get the same opportunities as others, for example their education may not be as good which can shape their whole future and the career they will end up with one day. They also have less money to spend on things they want so may turn to crime as a solution to obtain desirables and achieve their goals as feeling like their options and opportunities are limited can leave people angry and willing to find other solutions. Also, poverty can lead to small crimes such as stealing food that they can’t afford which, although is done out of free will, has no malicious intentions and therefore the circumstances in which a crime has been committed should be considered. If the environment a child grows up in consists of a broken unstable home with a lack of affection or parents facing problems, the child can grow up with a low self-esteem and find it harder to fit in to society and conform to the norms which can lead to them turning to crime as they didn’t receive the guidance and support needed. The murder of two year old James Bulger by two school boys is an example of this. Jon Venables and Robert Thompson both faced deprivation in their childhoods; both boys had parents who had split and both committed minor crimes such as shop lifting and skipping school and both had been held back a year at school. Venables had two siblings who suffered from learning difficulties attended special schools and his mother who had depression was quite harsh.

Thompson’s mother was an alcoholic who spent her time in bars instead of looking after her seven children who often fought very violently, to the point where one of the siblings asked to be taken into a care home. The unstable environment, lack of interest in education and lack of guidance could have contributed to why they committed such a major crime. Addictions can cause crime as people are not completely in control of their thinking when under the influence of drugs or alcohol and they may also commit crime to fund their addictions. Other factors such as peer pressure, the need to fit in and being labeled as a criminal which can cause the label to stick can all influence why crimes are committed.

Men and women who commit crimes are treated differently as people have a preconceived idea that women are the gentler sex and have maternal instincts which conflict with them committing violent crimes such as murder. This can result in the public having a much stronger reaction to women committing crimes as it counters the stereotypical loving nature that is expected of them. When Myra Hindley’s involvement in the moors murders was uncovered the public was in uproar and the response to her has always been more complicated than to Brady because killing and especially the killing of innocent children is not expected of women who tend to have more caring natures. Men are more likely to be caught for committing crimes as they are stereotypically seen as more violent than women who need protecting so therefore are more likely to be seen as threats.

People who commit white collar crimes and blue collar crimes are viewed differently as white collar crimes are to do with work and have financial gains so are more likely to be carefully executed whereas blue collar crimes involve things such as theft which may be carried out quickly. White collar crimes are carried out by middle class people who can afford good defense whereas blue collar crimes are carried out by lower class people who may not be able to afford good lawyers to act as their defense. Also, blue collar crimes tend to only affect one person whereas white collar crimes can affect companies so impact all the people who may work there.

To conclude, people commit crime for a large variety of reasons but many of these can be categorized as their nature or nurture. Most of the time the reason people commit crimes is a combination of both factors.