Do you think there is or should be a link between violence and poverty?

Question

I know my kids do not hang out at malls and beat up people and rob them. THEY GO TO SCHOOL and HAVE JOBS.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=560838
This is an edotorial in my liberal newspaper giving excuses for inner city violence and crime. It makes me sick.

Answer 1

So what is your large Milwaukee liberal PROFIT-MAKING newspaper doing to help the poor in your city? What kind of community service do the journalists do to help out the jobless in the ghetto areas? Nothing? Thought so.

Answer 2

I think there is a link between CRIME and poverty... not neccessarily violence.

Imagine you're an African-American teenager from a single-parent home. You've never been exposed to crime in your home-life... you've just watched the one parent you have work hard for very little and struggle harder just to make ends meet. You have an education, but you've seen others achieve more only to get the door slammed in their face because of the fact that they're African-Americans from inner-cities and therefore don't have the same opportunities for work that others do. (And you can scream all your want about Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity but it doesn't change the fact that there are still MANY people out there who rule out a black applicant as soon as they walk in the door!)

Now you're given an opportunity to make several thousand dollars a week and all you need to do is sell some drugs. But because Washington tells you "Just Say No" are you going to turn down this opportunity in hopes that you might find one Caucasian human resources employee who's willing to let you work for less than you deserve so that you can rest your head at night knowing you do "honest work?" I don't think so. And many do... but most don't.

If you think there's a link between poverty and violence, explain Scott Peterson. Explain the fact that over half of the domestic violence and child abuse cases in America come from middle to upper income families. Violence and crime are two different problems in this country. Nearly half the violent crimes committed in this country are not reported because they usually come from a family member in a upright community and no one wants the rumors flying. How many suburbanite housewives hide the abuse they suffer from their husbands?

And you're right... your kids probably don't hang around at malls and beat people up to rob them. Your kids have opportunities out the wazoo! They've got money and cars and clothes and the things that make them happy. And you should hit your knees and thank God He's provided you with such things instead of throwing rocks at minorities and poor people for not being as angelic as your children. Your kids can get a job on spec because they don't look like criminals in the eyes of racists who think that a black employee is a potential problem.

I often wonder about you... is it lonely up on your pedestal?

Answer 3

I'm not surprised that it made you sick. The author of the column is obviously sick & it is probably contagious. There is no doubt that those in poverty have higher crime rates, but I refuse to accept the theory that poverty causes crime. There are a lot of law abiding poor people. He is lying when he says that poverty & crime are up due to President Bush's policies. Crime is local. I signifacant fraction of the drop in crime rates in the 1990's was from NY & NO, where good mayors deserve credit for lowering crime rates dramatically. New mayors haven't been as successful.

The column is what passes for intelligent discourse on the left these days.

Answer 4

Absolutely. Poverty is a hard issue for everyone. I too have conflicted feelings about how we should deal with this as a people. There are so many issues that surround poverty, lack of education, divorce, drugs, hopelessness . . . How do we help without giving the population that is not destitute an unfair tax burden. But as a Christian, I feel that we will all be judged by how we judge the least amongst us so we must do something and my hunch is that it starts with education.

Answer 5

I don't know how the acts of a couple of kids forme your opinion about poverty and crime...but we have written several laws and started several social programs because of this link...the thinking that if you don't take care of people, they will just come and take it anyhow. Second, minorities and the poor are more agressively prosecuted and punished, that is a fact. And third, that is an editorial. if you don't like someone else's opinion (and I know you don't, since you always give best answer to those who agree with you) don't read it. You have too much time on your hands, so little things like this (which happened ahile ago) make you so angry. BTW, your kids are grown. They don't hang out in malls because they are too old.

Answer 6

Perhaps the seemingly intelligent individual who wrote this op-ed piece would better service the people of the poor community by going into the inner-city schools, talking to young people, and encouraging personal responsibility (a la Bill Cosby) rather than laying blame on someone else. Action speaks louder than words.

Answer 7

We don't give excuses for their behavior... Just think about it this way: Would your kids be who they are today if you weren't a good parent? Perhaps if you were a single mother living in the ghetto and strung out on crack??? Probably not. I'm not saying it's not the parents' fault, but it's definitely not the CHILD'S fault who then grows up to be a crack head adult just like their parents. We need to help the children break the cycle by mentoring them and showing them the way out through education and hard work. There's your liberal solution.

Answer 8

There is obviously a link between violence and poverty in today's society, but one has to wonder where all this violence was during the depression? Now that was a true time of poverty.

Answer 9

I think there is a link, but I don't think it is any excuse.

The problem is that people who grow up in poverty are stuck in a cycle of poverty and violence. They choose to stay in this cycle rather than to realize that they could easily improve their lives by simply staying in school, getting a job, and choosing not to break the law.

I have no sympathy whatsoever for people who commit violent crime. I really don't care what the excuse is.

Answer 10

Their is a link between poverty and violence. The real problem is in the suburbanites who have good paying jobs but still choose to commit crimes.