Are many criminals victims of their environment? Are terrorists victims of their environment?

Answer 1

Psychologically speaking, they're victims of all of the causes and conditions which make them who they are: their education (or lack thereof, depending on circumstances), their environment, the condition of their own mind and psychological conditions at the time, etc.

_()_

Answer 2

If this reasoning is accepted, then we are all victims of God because He made us in the first place!

The point is that no matter how harsh the environment may be, the onus is still on the criminal to commit a crime or not, except if the person is not in control of his senses, in which case he belongs in an asylum and not a jail.

Looking at issues from the victim point of view tends to justify criminal acts, for when you go deep enough into an individual's psyche, you will find a reason behind some criminal tendencies (abused childhood, alcoholism, broken homes etc). Invariably however, teaching and accepting that we pay for whatever we do makes for a better world.

Answer 3

Calling them "victims" is an insult to them and their being created in the image of God; and far from relieving them of responsibility for their actions, denigrates their persons from "humans" to being subhuman.

Environment definately plays a part in the formation of any person, and may even partially account for spouce abusers being the children of abusers, alcoholics being the children of alcoholics. However, they are still moral agents who are responsible for their actions.

"Victim" is to be reserved for those who were the actual subjects of their violence.

Merriam-Webster (www.m-w.com) says:
vic·tim
Pronunciation: 'vik-t&m
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin victima; perhaps akin to Old High German wIh holy
1 : a living being sacrificed to a deity or in the performance of a religious rite
2 : one that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent : as a (1) : one that is injured, destroyed, or sacrificed under any of various conditions (2) : one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment b : one that is tricked or duped

This clearly is not the person who is the perpetrator, but the subject of the action.

Answer 4

I think that they are b/c everyone is always trying to get caught up, ahead, survive. The only thing wrong with that, is that they aren't working for it, they are stealing, robbing, killing, and taking what is not rightfully theirs. At the same time they do have the one thing that nothing else in the world has and that is a brain that can think about consequences and can reason, know right from wrong. I think that they become influenced and taught from the wrong people in control of their enviroment.

Answer 5

We could all attribute our wickedness to our environment. That's the easy way out.

While it's true that some of us would have never thought of certain evils unless introduced to us by our environment, it is still up to us to overcome that wickedness that has been embedded within us.

God says that He gives us all a way out. That way is through Jesus Christ, Son of God, our Redeemer.

Answer 6

perhaps many in each group are products of their environments, some however may actually be victims of their environments.

Answer 7

No, the people who get blown up are the victims.

Answer 8

What do you want to do, put all of society in prison?
How much do you see yourself as a victim?

Answer 9

Sometimes for both.
That doesn't exclude personal responsibility for their actions, but it might mitigate them. I would guess that the more we know about a person, the more likely we are to find mitigating circumstances.
The problem is, how do we know?

Answer 10

of course they are i mean they are indoctranated since birth in the quran its a crime to question it to speak against it or to leave the religion religion is bad for your health