Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 10, 2014 Letters
Dear Editor,
Some social theories suggest that those who are in poverty, got that way merely of their own accord. It is true that drug and gang-infested neighbourhoods of today often do invest in their own downfall through discouraging new growth and an infusion of economic and social relief through unsavory acts of crime.
However, your editorial dated 28th January 2014 has gone against the social scientist theory that crime is linked with poverty. I agree with your analysis based on the evidence you have put forward to show that some crimes that are committed in Guyana are not link to poverty.
Society on a whole has a general misconception of the link between poverty and crime. Although crime is often committed by those who are impoverished, all those who are poor do not commit crimes. Other misconceptions include the assumption that people of colour are automatically more likely to commit crime because of the colour of their skin rather than their surroundings and upbringing. Many of these misconceptions may lead to adverse effects of racism in real-life meetings between those with and those without.
There is a perception that poverty drives and impels man to commit crimes. Based on these perceptions, individuals who come from poor neighbourhoods and poor families and uneducated, are more likely to commit crimes as against those who come from wealthy families.
The perception also implies that children from well-to-do families or those whose parents are wealthy and live in classy neighbourhoods are not likely to commit crime. The idea is that they have everything to lose from committing crimes.
However, you have disputed this theory by showing that in Guyana “In recent years, crimes, including murder, robbery and assault have been allegedly committed by the offspring of persons in the magistracy, government, and police force just to mention a few”.
This has shown that the most vulnerable in society are not the only ones who commit crime but rather it is spread right across the society. Furthermore, I think what you were trying to point out is that crime has manifested itself throughout society for the benefit of particular class against the other class. Crime is seen in this modern times as protecting one’s turf to remain dominant within society. It’s not hunger but it’s the controlling factor that those rich persons are trying to protect.
This perception may be true when it is analyzed at a superficial level. Parents of these young children in poorer neighbourhoods are more likely to be jobless. If they even have jobs they are daily wage earners whose income is not enough to support the needs of the family. Because of the need to support family and to make ends meet, the parents take on multiple jobs, leaving the children to take care of themselves on their own. As a result, they have less time for the family, and to take care of their children. In view of the absence of parental intervention and guidance, the children, on the other hand, are involved with gangs and gang-related activities. Because the neighborurhood is full of gangs, children from these families are more likely to interact with gangs and become gang-members. Children from these families often lack values. They are also more likely to be uneducated or drop out of school. It is likely that they will also be jobless when they reach adulthood. It is also likely that they may be engaged in crime.
This is the general perception that social class and crimes are directly related. This perception is, however, baseless, unfounded and lacks support. Today, it is no longer true that social class and crimes are directly related. In fact, even those coming from wealthy families are more likely to commit crimes, use drugs, and engage in violence. Thus, it is possible that even if an individual has everything to lose by committing a crime, he can still be engaged in crime.
Morris Springer
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