Poverty and Crime Essay

Relationship surrounded by penury and hatred. Name flow University Tutor Date Introduction There is no individual description of beggary. One definition holds that need is the societys standard of documentation in a particular age and tribe be say to be short(p) when they prat non even afford their elementary necessities or if their income is insufficient. villainy is the violation of the rule of law as it is stipulated in the constitution. Its increase c wholes for measures and sanctions that escort that hearty order prevails.There is a correlation amongst need and evil though galore(postnominal) an early(a)(prenominal) who claim that in that location atomic number 18 around states where pauperisation is very eminent befuddle refuted this argument. They argue that the crime in these beas is very is low. This research paper, will discuss intensively about pauperism and crime. It will analyze the relationship between poverty and the crime wanders, its poseing time owns and means of its eradication. Who be the scummy? exiguity is defined differently by diverse agencies in America. Generally it could be verbalise to be the privation of the basic needs such as fodder, cloth and shelter.Depending on the standards of quick opportunities, employment and respect that fellow citizens enjoy their lives further this does non observe together that the set living standard is below poverty line. Poverty can be categorized in to triple classes namely absolute poverty, social exclusion and relative poverty. These classes turn out different re character references that would promote harmony between the body and the soul. Relative category denotes overleap of re pedigrees needed for wizard to take part fully in issues that affect their life-time.The third class of poverty is what is referred to as an bea that insufficiencys Begin get together to source 5 in source list (8-18-03) http//www. ic. gov. au/conferences/cypc/ proceedings. pdfa combination ofEnd Match various necessities Begin Match to source 5 in source list (8-18-03) http//www. aic. gov. au/conferences/cypc/proceedings. pdfsuch as unemployment, pitiableEnd Match infrastructure, Begin Match to source 5 in source list (8-18-03) http//www. aic. gov. au/conferences/cypc/proceedings. pdflowEnd Match income and substandard skills. correspond to the get together realms world summit of social development, poverty is a chequer in which one and only(a) is deprived of the basic needs such as food, clean water sanitation, heath and education. tally the 2006 statistics on poverty, the poverty rate in the united state declined from 12. 6%, as it was the case in 2005. When this was translated in to figures it meant that 36. 5 citizens lived in penny, as it was the cases in 2005. Currently about 12% of the population in the United States lives below the poverty threshold. Poverty in America manytimes is not something stcapable as it fluctuates w ith time for some wad earns to a greater extent than the set poverty line yet in other times, they earn below it. As per the 2001 statistics, minors were the virtually affected of all groups in the industrialized nations America being the strap because 14. % of the minors lived below the poverty line. This also largely affected the Americans. (Haveman RH. 1987)According to the United States Research Center, the poverty rate has increased over the new past from what it has been for over twenty-six years. In the past, it was 11. 3 per centum save in 2004 it stood at 12. 7 percent though this gradually declined in the year 2006 to 12. 3 percent. In the period between 2000-2006, the poverty direct among the minors significantly increased from 16. 2 percent to 17. 8 percent but in following two years it decline to 17. 4 percent.Poverty in America varies across race, family, sex and age but America has registered a decline in poverty rate when comp bed with the 1990s figures. Thi s could be attributed to the economic depression. The current rate is sleek over bigger than that of the 1970s. As per the United States Census Bureau, it calculates the rate of poverty by assessing the much one earns and his purchasing power. As it is noted above that poverty varies in America, poverty rate is highest among the juniors who are under 18 years. According to a succeed that was done in 1998, the poverty rate amongst children was 18. 9% and this was a go trim down from the 1997 figure.The rate of poverty to those who are under six years was 20. 6% in 1998. The rate for those within the bracket of 18-64 was 10. 9%. In 2005 the poverty rate for over those 65 years was 9. 4 percent than that of 2005 which was 10. 1 percent while that of the minors stood at 17. 4% Depending on messs nationality, those who were natural in America had a poverty train of 11. 9% or an equivalent of 30. 8 million people in the year 2007 and this was the alike(p) as it was in 2006. To the foreigners, the poverty level in 2006 slightly went down to 15. 2% when compared with the 2005 figure and in 207 the figure still went down. Moore D. 2007)Causes of poverty. Poverty has galore(postnominal) causes and some of them are overpopulation, unequal distribution of resources high living standards, lack of proper education and skills, lack of employment, economic and distribution of people in a location, natural disasters. Overpopulation can be linked with poverty. In areas that have a lot of people, there is agate line in resources as people tend to deplete them because competition there in but this is not a major cause of poverty in US. The real causes of poverty in USA are low wages and lack of tested and well foundering employment.In America over two thirds of all low households with some children rely on only one or two people who are in jobs. However, many of them are in low paying jobs that cannot help them to meet their needs. Many people do not get jobs becaus e of a number of factors. Some of them do not have the indispensable skills while others are handicaps, personal hazards and general inability to perform. In America people who were sometime in the past occupied but due to some reasons such as misconducts were dismissed are poor. They could also have been dismissed due to insubordination, unionism or because of combat-ready in strikes.When people do not get good jobs or are not at all employed, they cannot provide their families with their necessities and hence the high rate of poverty. In America most of the unemployed turn to do drugs abuse. (Dwarkin R. 2005) Another thing that cause poverty in America is that there is a very high living condition. With little money, it is not feasible to get adequate food, shelter and clothing many who claim to be employed are in low paying jobs that pay minimal wages and this is the business that non employed face. Because USA is a developed nation, the prices of items are very high so an yone earning a dollar a daylightlight finds it hard to survive.For example a Mexican can get one dollar in hour and then buy some food for the family. The same case applies in America where food is very costly one may earn five dollars in a day only to spend all of this money on food. Generally life standard in America is very high and for this reason many are considered to live below poverty line. This causes most Americans to have physical and mental disabilities and may lead to pathological disorders. This has been a problem to many because at a time you get addicted to drugs as your life becomes dependent on them.In such a situation, then you prioritize drugs instead of other things that are more important. These drugs cause a mind to fail to utilization properly and for this reason they cannot secure themselves jobs in America. Mental inability, social problem and disability are some of the challenges that Americans face. Disab lead people cannot be able to compete effect ively in the search for jobs as physically practice people do. Because they have low incomes, their families give them special attention and this puts strain to their meager resources. These people are also isolated by others something that increases the level of social stigma.Another thing is exclusion in the social processes and this has been other cause of poverty in America. It happens when people do not get a chance of leading a normal life. It authorises to the disabled, the imprisoned and to the people who have language difficulties. The homeless and the ex- prisoners as well as those that are suffering from aids are also affected. These factors have greatly led to the increase in poverty cases. It should be understood that these people though they are not actively participating in social processes, they still require food, shelter and clothing. (Cohen S. 985) Poverty and crime horror is doing contrary to what is required by the constitution. Many people indulge themselve s in condemnable activities if they do not meet their basic needs. nearly people become criminals because of poverty but it should not be forgotten that others deem it a career. According to the conflict theories, economic strife has been related or associated with crimes. Many people who do not have any other source of their livelihood, settlement to crimes such as burglary, assault and robbery. Most of these individuals are socially propelled to coiffe this way due to their poverty level and social alienation.Increase in per capital income tends to reduce crime rate something that attests to the fact that poverty leads to crime. Crime rate depends on social and cultural factors for example if many children are born by genius mothers then the level of the crime goes up. Most children who are fatherless are more likely to become criminals because they lack proper attention at home as their mother cannot meet their basic needs. They go to the streets to seek solace. Crime rates. There are three things that could be attributed to the rise in crime rates in America. These are for example the rise of outbreaks.This was one major cause of crimes in the 1986 and in 1960s and 70s there were some family policies that were affect which firmnessed to upsurge in adolescent delinquency. The third cause of crime is the saturation of the criminal systems. (Cassdill H. 1962) This has compromised the fight against crime as prisoners are being sentenced for a shorter period than they should and are untimely released. When this happens, they leave prisons uncorrected. According to a research that was done by the Kirwan add increase in poverty was linked to high-level crime rate.This is because when the poverty level goes beyond a certain point it invites crime. In the United States, the high rate of illegitimate births is linked to crime prevalence and this is as a result of many single parented households. When these children do not get the proper care that they dese rve, they turn to crimes. According to Milton Eisenhowers foundation, 70 per cent of all African Americans in America have single mothers. While only eighteen per cent of all the whites have single mother. The increase in single motherhood increases the prospects of people indulging themselves in crimes.Most poor people engage themselves in crimes such as prostitution, selling drugs and even murder while others engage in new crimes. What should be done to control this level of crime rate is to make some reforms in the judicial system to learn they are more effective. Criminal should be jailed for a term that is equivalent to the crime they committed. The tougher and reasonable judges should be put on the bench to view that providedice would take its course. Those violent offenders should not be on the destitute peculiarly when they are supposed to be serving their term in prison.This is the only way the high rate of crime could be scurfy down. The way forward. There are vari ous ways of eradicating poverty in America and one of them is ensuring that property rights that are respected to the letter. Property rights should be seen as the same as human rights. All American citizens have a right to own property wherever they want. If this is properly address the gap between the abounding and poor would be reduced. The main cause of crime in USA is because the poor living in soaked proximity with the sizeable.Also those lacking reliable income are forced to assist for alternative means of meeting their basic needs. The presence of both rich and the poor people puts the government in a very foxy place, as it is impossible to collect taxes for it is not easy to determine who should pay and who should not. (Smeeding TM et al, 1990) The United States government can reduce the poverty level by providing the poor with some small amount so that they could start some businesses as it was done in the Western States under a program known as a Welfare State in the 20th Century.Those that should be taken care of are at least(prenominal) the poor and the disabled as they are the most disadvantaged in the society. People are social beings and for this reason they cannot sit back and reside their friends continue suffering so the government should come up with humanity Programs that would allow people to channel assistance of any kind to the poor as the rich world power be willing to help them. These organizations should every be voluntary or non-profit making groups.The United States government should participate on subsidized households and medical issues. The government should also analyze the magnificence of subsidized medical care than the free governmentally supported wellness care. The poor should be provided with employment by the government as not all poor people lack the relevant job skills. need of employment in America is one reason that increases poverty prevalence so if they are given jobs they would be able to meet their ba sic necessities and this would help in reducing the gap between the rich and the poor.The poor should also be helped in accessing free health care. Most poor people do not even afford to go to hospitals once they get sick and stay at home. This also puts strain on their meager income making them to become even poorer. The government should also twirl free family planning programs as many who turn to be criminals are from those households that do not provide them with proper attention.Children from single parented households and especially those that are headed by the mother are more likely to result into becoming criminals. These families should be provided with some family allowances by the government so as they would take care of children properly to avoid them being attracted to become late criminals. The poor who mostly live in ghettos should be provided with better living accommodations facilities for example the government should upgrade these ghettos so that they would enj oy life just like the rich do.This would help in bridging the gap between the rich and the poor Currently the talk on poverty is still on going and has become a campaign tool among the presidential candidates. They are promising Americans what they will do once they become the next US president come the 2008 Election. Obama who is one of these candidates promised the Americans that he would establish Twenty secure Households and especially in the areas that are affected by high levels of poverty and crime. They would operate just like the Harlem Childrens Home operates.He said he will spend about six US dollars on this program and this will benefit the Harlem, the townsfolk Hall Education and the Town Hall Education. (Kristof N. D. 2008) Both Edward and Obama are challenging Hillary Clinton who up to now has not come up with any poverty reduction proposal. Obamas tongue was mainly on urban and rural areas and most particularly on city openings while Edward focused on this povert y issue might have a lot of impact on who will be chosen as the president of the United States of America.Edward said that he would relocate the poor families so that they would be in a place where they would good access jobs and other facilities. From the research findings, it is safe to conclude that poverty greatly contributes to the rise in crime level that is both are interrelated. This is explicit in that poor people inhabit regions that register high crime rate. (Kristof N. D. 2008) When poor people lack their basic needs, they resort to crimes such as drug selling and trafficking, juvenile delinquency and assaults.There are various measures that if they are undertaken, the crime level would definitely go down and some of these are to strengthen the correction and judicial system and to empower the poor people so that the gap between the rich and poor would be closed. This is something that is of prime concern to the 2008 presidential candidates such as Obama who promised t o boost the cities initiative especially those that work to help the poor. Indeed, there is a relationship between poverty and crime prevalence in United States of America. Most of the crimes occur in areas that are occupied by the poor people.When people are wallowing in poverty they are prone to indulge themselves in criminal acts. In order to reduce the rate of crime, the government should try to bridgework the gap between the rich and the poor. The poor should be economically be strengthened and their living standards be uplifted. Houses in the ghettos should be upgraded to improve the forest of life for the poor. To reduce the level of crimes, the judicial system should be modify so as to make it more effective. The laws should be enforced to ensure they are followed to the letter.