How People Become Criminals

The path to criminality is fraught with imminent peril and all too often encouraged by peers and examples set in high places. Everyone wants to belong and there is often a long and winding road through corruption to attain what is considered desirable. In a society where there is only one winner and everyone else is a bum, there is considerable pressure to cheat and take short cuts to become that winner at the expense of everyone else. We read and hear in the daily media of great legitimate corporations being caught in one fraud and another and having to pay heavy fines. During the economic crisis of 2008-09, stories emerged of fantastic corruption on such a large scale that tens of millions suddenly faced homelessness and joblessness. CEOs were actually rewarded hundreds of billions for mismanagement. We also here of cops who work with gangsters. Prior to and after the collapse, we are told that up to 99 percent of "opportunities" on the internet are nothing more than scams. Caveat Emptor does not work here! It is so pervasive that it sounds like fiction, but it is all too real.

All these examples and ones much closer to home where bikers tear thunderously around the streets on hoped up choppers, hot road tailor designed mean machines, Harley Davidsons and so forth that cost upward to $100,000 set the example that brutality and pure chutzpah gains everything in the end. Everyone knows that losers who work security as a mall cop, others who work flipping burgers and store clerks can never afford a $100,000 tailor made hot rod chopper or road bike. These come with all the attendant bling bling through activities such as pimping, gaming, drug running, covert arms dealing and human trafficking. Despite all the high profile busts, many streets are still like war zones as leaders battle for turf. Much of this underworld activity is managed by organized crime like the Mafia, Cosa Nostra, Asian gangs, Mexican gangs and many more. It has been said that these organizations are the government in waiting; waiting for the collapse of the current regime in order to affect a take over. Thus the government in power now is engaged in a life and death struggle to maintain its position. Often the two interface, such as suggested by the history and the shady dealings with the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Criminality begins early. For some, it is as early as the time of infancy. For others, who do poorly in school and life, who have a failure complex and low self esteem, the life of crime appears to be an easy way to obtain ones desires. In communities festering with crime, it is only too easy to walk straight into the circumstances that lead to a criminal life. It comes through friends, relations, the ones we love the most and want desperately to impress. It creeps furtively into our lives almost unnoticed until one day we wake up sporting a piece, the bling bling, the fancy car or chopper, extra fine home, a huge bank account rivaling that of the GDP of a small country and the pure cold-hearted attitude of a demon.

It is a hard thing to do indeed, not to become involved in crime because of its pervasiveness. It usually starts small and can gradually grow until it is second nature. Even the best among us are prone to temptation and are not immune to its influence. Whether criminal or victim we are all involved even if it’s just higher prices on everything. Crime appeals to the base greed that inhabits all of us. Greed defines the acquisitive system of things that runs and eventually ruins whole planets. Greed plunders, divides communities and nations, murders, steals, tortures and spies. Greed always seeks advantage over all the others to their collective expense and the greedy individuals gain.

Into this mix is a fluctuating economy that absorbs and spits out workers like some great feeding beast. It does not matter what level the working person is employed, they are always under threat of a layoff. While unemployed, the choices are often few. They are choices like poverty, homelessness, hunger, dumpster diving, drug pushing, hustling for sex, gun running, gambling and bullying for pay. This too then becomes a temptation when the reality of unemployment becomes too unbearable to tolerate. Established and organized criminals are always looking for new recruits and can usually find them. These recruits form the front line criminals who we always hear about in the news in this drug bust or that, drive by shootings, kidnappings, jewel smash and grabs, break and enter, grand theft auto, larceny, home invasions, extortion, embezzlement, scams, counterfeiting, computer crime and bank hold-ups. These are the ones who are usually arrested and fill the jails. The big organized criminals usually get away, or if caught, can hire expensive and successful lawyers to get them off or get reduced sentences.

Crime exists because of an unequal system that rewards a few and blocks the rest. Thus crime is forever a temptation that confronts us moment to moment. To really deal crime a death blow, we have to do two things; end the system that ultimately supports crime and criminals and have what has been called by many, a personal spiritual transformation. It is a wonder that crime is not more prevalent than it is and that most people are content with burger flipping, security work and being a cashier. Some are content with dumpster diving. It is unfortunate that most of these people are victimized by crime form those who choose one criminal activity or another.