does class status determining criminal behavior?

Answer 1

No, it doesn't DETERMINE behavior of any kind. But it may encourage an impressionable young person if many of his/her peers are engaging in anti-social behavior. Poor teens may be actively goaded by their friends to cross the line into criminal behavior; that is somewhat less prevelant among higher-income teens. And the lack of a father in the home is a very big risk factor for crime, and lower-income women are more likely to have children without marriage.

If someone is very poor, the "easy" money to be made selling drugs or holding up mini-marts may seem like a way out of poverty. But middle-class and upper-class people make the same bad decisions for thrills or to be able to buy luxuries. The difference may be largely that the poorer person is more likely to get caught and less likely to be helped by family if they are caught.

Richer people who are lazy+greedy are more likely to engage in economic crimes like fraud because they have the resources to get to a position where such behavior is possible. Poorer people who are criminally inclined are more likely to engage in street crimes because nobody put them in charge of someone else's trust fund.

Bottom line is that there are criminals in every class and good, honest people in every class. The forms that anti-social behavior take and the acceptance by ones peers of such behavior do differ, however.

Answer 2

I believe I would say that class status indirectly effects criminal behavior (this is one basis of "profiling"). It's true that people on all social levels commit crimes; however, many, including myself, believe that poverty is the cause of much crime. Our society pushes an attitude of "having"...if you "have" this or that, a new car, cool clothes for example, you will be happy and successful. This is certainly not true, but the message is bombarding all of us day after day from every where we turn. In a country where politicians proudly proclaim we are all equal, we have not yet addressed the nature and effect of generational poverty. The proof...that you had to ask this question.

Answer 3

It does in the sense. Different classes commit different crimes and occasionally those of a lower class commit crimes for reasons that would explain their actions if not condone them... I think they call it extenuating circumstances. Like stealing a loaf of bread because your child is hungry. Theft is wrong, but I doubt that person would be prosecuted or the store owner pressing charges if the situation is explained.

anyway on the lower end of the class scale you have the street hustlers and drug dealers/drug dealers, etc. On the upper end you have the white collar criminals like the late not to great Ken Lay of Enron.... like now Wesley Snipes who is the run (it seems) for tax evasion or the congressmen who get caught with their hands in the piggy bank like Duke Cunningham out in California or Tom Delay or Jefferson.

Answer 4

No. People from all classes engage in criminal behavior. Look at cases such as Scott Peterson, Enron, and Martha Stewart. All of these people were upper-class.

Answer 5

Can be said as poverty give rise to crimes.when a person is fighting with his poverty n cant find a way to get rid, he gets involve in criminal activites n the example is third world countires where u can see more criminals n more illegal activites, whereas in developed countries the ratio is lower as peoples dont ahve to fight for getting bread, n law is more effective there.......secondly lack of education is one of the cause of crimes which is interlinked to poverty...... but it doesnt mean that ther is no crimal behaviour in high society, sometimes high society youth get themselves involved in such activities taking it as an advanture.......the main cause of criminal behaviour in developed countries is that they r not satisfied with them n with their surroundings.......they r alwasy at running pace..this lead to depression n ultimatly crimal behaviour..

Answer 6

In some cases it does. Some people rob others and sell drugs and are in gangs because their family is classified as poor or low-income, while if some person or familiy is classified as middle class or upper class they probably wouldn't sell drugs or join gangs.

Answer 7

Hitler was a world leader, what do you think?

Bush is a murderer, like charles manson was
Nero, Lenin, Stalin, King Henry the VIII, Pope Innocent
HMMM
I don't think it matters who you are, some just get away with it in this life.