Daniel Brittain

Resolving the Cycles of Crime and Poverty in the

United States
When it comes to human choice, decision, and action, we as a people often
disassociate ourselves with how frail and easy it is to manipulate the human mind. We
forget that our circumstances are most definitely different from anothers, that what we
see in our life, is not what others see in theirs. We rarely if ever see past our own
horizon. We suppose that all situations are our own and that if an individuals behavior is
anything different, it is most certainly their fault, and theirs alone. This is incorrect, for
we must realize that humans are shaped by what surrounds them. We are molded and
transformed by our experiences. The only real decision we can make in the matter of
our existence is in the moment, as we live our lives. We may make plans but it is the
simple fact that our past is unchangeable, and our future unforeseeable. You may try to
guess the future, even attempt to calculate it, but a different outcome will occur ninetynine percent of the time. The only real choice we have is in the moment, and that in
itself is heavily influenced by our environment and by the people around us. Now this is
not to say that the individual has no bearing on the choice- that is surely invalid. But it is
imperative that we remember the importance that an environment has in the decision.
For we cannot just hope that someone will do the right thing. This is implausible and
impractical, and the founding fathers of the United States knew it. This is why we have
laws and different branches of government, because even if you think humans are
generally good and will do the right thing, we cannot count on that. We have created an
environment where those who do bad are punished, and those who hold power are
limited so that they are influenced to do good and withheld from complete control. The

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checks and balances as well as laws we have in place do in essence not fully but
moderately reduce crime when compared to if there were no law, and remove a
significant amount of possible tyranny from our government. Yet both are still manifold.
In order to understand the reason for bad decisions and even worse actions
according to crime, we must remember the environment of those who commit crime is
generally lesser of those who do not.1 (Marcus Berzofsky 2014). Lesser as in situational
foundation, structure of home, financial wellbeing and, higher rates of violence. This is
not always the case, but for the majority of the time this is accurate. I understand many
of you are going to argue that in the end it is an individuals decision to or to not commit
to an action, and that is undoubtedly correct, but when it comes to the problem of crime
and poverty, we must look to a more indirect solution. Influential causes such as
environment and experience allow poverty and crime to continue and thrive. Yes, the
individual can choose whether or not to participate in crime through individual choice
alone, and even control his own level of finances. But when the options are weighed
out, and the good choice goes against the bad choice we cannot just see our own
horizon, and what we deem is the right decision. We must attempt to understand the
individuals stance of conflict and their environments bearing on them or else the cycle
of poverty and crime will continue without end. Let us analyze a scenario typical of that
of someone involved in the cycle of poverty. This is someone who has grown up in a
broken home, perhaps having no father and a mother who is rarely there due to work or
other reasons. His environment around him consists of drugs, gangs and bad
influences. With no real role model he follows those around him who are in a similar
1 http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5137

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state. A life of drugs, gangs and bad influences become his. He then gets confronted
with a choice dealing with opportunity cost, should he pursue this life that surrounds him
and continues to entice him or will he continue his schooling so that he may hopefully
become something more? Before we answer we must analyze the options. On one
hand he has school, which in low income areas is generally very poor in educational
quality due to the funding and lack of teaching staff, where he will most likely feel lost in
the system and learn very little at all, at least from his perspective. On the other hand,
he can join his friends in this life of bad influences filled with things such as drugs and
gangs and feel a part of something. Even make some money perhaps by robbing or
selling drugs. So, why go to a place where it seems there is no benefit, where it seems
like a waste of time, when you can go on the corner and sell some drugs for money that
you and your family desperately need? We must also think of the mentality that his
environment and those around him create for him. That of an apathetic, it doesnt
matter mindset. This is still a decision yes, but what was originally good against bad,
has now turned into the right thing to do against the most logical thing to do. If we
manipulate the circumstances behind the decision such as his bad environment and
influence him with the belief that pursuing education is the most beneficial thing for him
to do, and his friends as well, it can be assured that his choice will change. If he had
perhaps had a role model, productive values, stimulating extracurricular activities and
not the negative impacts of drugs, gangs, and, violence instilled into his character and
to his experiences his choice would be much easier to make.
If we do not fix these environments and help change these negative influences
then the United States current rate of poverty and crime will never recover. We must

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create environments in low income areas similar to those of their more wealthy
counterparts, so that the same amount of peace, productivity, financial security, values,
and general state of mind become the norm. Keep in mind this of course will not
eradicate poverty, nor crime, but will give all individuals an equal opportunity that is not
tainted and strained by their unfortunate environments. It will not only benefit those
affected, but all individuals in the United States as well. Less poverty means more
productive citizens paying taxes and being a positive member of the community, not to
mention the amount of crime will decrease and less incarceration will occur. Individuals
will not look to drugs or violence for the answers, rather the opportunities they have.
Though for this to happen, we must have a complete rearrangement of how our society
operates pertaining to how we see communities and how our government ensures
equality. Create more widely available and publicly known programs and organization
which help the youth and target homeless and drug abuse rehabilitation, this will give
people options and opportunities that they would not have otherwise. We must also
rethink our laws according to non-violent crimes like drug possession. Instead of
throwing addicts into prison, which is shown to cause individuals with a non-violent
record to commit violent acts in the future, we should help them and give them a chance
at actual rehabilitation, not just punishment. For when people come back from prison
regardless of their level of rehabilitation, will end up with the same individuals and in the
same environment that influenced them in the first place.
These solutions as well as the understanding of other people and their
circumstances that we are not accustomed to are the key to creating an equally
opportunistic society in which all have equal chances to become something better and

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are not held back by their environments and those around them. It is imperative we
work together as a society to end the plague that has attacked so many nations before
us, and that we continue to partake in. It is up to us as a people to fix what years of
oppression, and discrimination have created and instead start anew, and give the youth
the opportunities and chances they deserve.

Creating More Productive Influences and

Safer, More Positive Environments
As stated above, the key to ending the cycles of poverty and crime in the United
States are accomplished by creating more productive programs, as well as
creating a safer and more positive environment for the youth. This will allow
individuals in unfortunate situations to focus more of their time on helping the
community and further their own success, and even discontinuing the
mistreatment and abandonment of young impoverished individuals. This is only
possible if we create programs which are obligatory to help all aspects of the
community, and that call for all individuals to help. These programs should be
widely known, and spread throughout the community through advertising and
school participation. The goal of these programs should be to better the
community by cleaning up the environment both literally and figuratively, helping
those in need such as the poor, homeless, those without family, etc. It should be
open to anyone needing help, especially children, who will find it in these
programs. Help as in the mental and foundational support, inspiration, a sense of
belonging and friendship, and an overall unity feeling in the community. Letting

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those who need help know they can get it, and that it is easy to be a part of the
program will allow for the youth and those in need to have a drastic change in
thought, as well as character. For they after helped and supported, will feel a
sense of duty and hopefully partake in the giving and helping of others as well.
This, if done correctly will make individuals take pride in their community and will
change the apathetic mindset of current. It will be a social and environmental
change that must occur so that individuals who are in such horrid and miserable
states as mentioned before are influenced, and led correctly.
These influences and opportunities which are presented and given to
individuals which support their productivity, positivity, opportunity, and future, will
cause most to almost impetuously make the right and now also the logical
decision. Instilling these ideas and experiences to young and old people in
trouble alike, and letting them know that there is a way out of their suffering will
most certainly end the cycle of poverty and crime in the United States. People
will no further turn to a life of violence, crime, drugs, and gangs, when they have
options that can be more easily accessed, and more beneficial to them. Now, of
course this is not to say poverty and crime will be eradicated, but it will become
apparent that it has been reduced significantly.