Avoiding The Poverty Trap
Poverty is the biggest driver of crime all over the world. Because the income gap between the wealthy and the poor is growing globally, there is an uptick in petty crime by those who cannot afford food, electricity, education, health care, shelter, or child support. This trend means there are millions of people whose talent the world may never benefit from because they are too poor or trapped in a life of crime.
When it comes to money, human beings will naturally find the option that offers the higher income by copying those who have had some success even if by illegal means. For example, we know that if lawmakers pass a tax cut for large businesses, they will take advantage of it because they are looking for ways to cut costs and increase revenue. No one has to make big business take certain deductions; they will find the tax breaks through their accountants and tax lawyers and file appropriately. Other businesses will copy them.
The same principle is used to control achievement in poor urban communities. Bright minds will find the way to make more money just like businesses find tax cuts. Imagine two teenage residents of a poor urban community: one has a small child to take care of and the other is living with family. Neither are employed but looking for jobs. Now drop $2,000 dollars in cash for dealing drugs between them. Because that $2,000 dollars greatly exceeds the $13.25 per hour minimum wage available for work at a McDonald’s (in the District of Columbia), they will fight each other tooth and nail to get that $2,000 despite the risks of getting caught. There will be no unity in the community until either person dies or permanently captures the market or the source of money. Without ridding the community of all drug dealers, some minds will choose crime because of the higher income and others will follow. In many neighborhoods, there is no better-paying option that is physically accessible, legal, and immediately available without specialized training.
What is worse is that it is highly likely that a drug dealer will get caught by police and once they have a criminal record, the poverty trap gets deeper. The stigma associated with a criminal record further reduces the chances of finding legal economic success. People will assume the worst about an ex-con unless his or her record is expunged. Employers won’t return his or her call or fairly consider a job application. He or she may not qualify for federal tuition assistance for college or vocational schools. He or she may lose the right to vote in some states. And he or she may not qualify for public assistance, which leaves few options other than to keep selling drugs. As if all that were not enough, local gang leaders won’t let anyone out because he or she knows too much which means one may go to jail AGAIN.
We have to do more to avoid trapping poor people into a life of crime to support themselves. Without making excuses, there needs to be some attention to the circumstances precipitating crime. Poverty alleviation strategies like microfinance, small business loans, vocational or university education, job training, free health care, and relocation assistance need to be available to all poor communities. Prisoners need to learn how to have a criminal record expunged and must acquire skills that will re-train them on how to meet their basic needs through legal means.
Society needs to respond to crime with compassion. Most people want to do the right thing but many will not where crime is the better paying option.