Omaira Valencia V.: Crime

Community safety is a priority in order to accomplish high quality of life. Consequently, it is important to consider the causes of crime, because if society provides the appropriate answer, it could decrease. Crime has two major causes: economic and social causes. And three minor causes, policing and justice, urban planning and substance abuse. In my opinion, social causes are more significant than the others.

The deep roots of crime are social problems. They have two aspects that impact children and adolescence. One aspect is ineffective parenting and intrafamilial violence. Single-parent families and lonely children are causative factors to future criminal behaviour. Children who are victims of violence in their own families have more possibilities to become offenders later. Other aspect is ineffective socialization, because intolerance and lack of respect of others bring inadequate way to express the rejection of the world which they live

The relation between economic problems and crime is complex. There is not a direct link between poverty and crime; however poor neighbourhoods are very unsafe. In addition, in those places, unemployed people have predisposition to gather with friends who have undesirable behaviour and get in trouble.

Finally, there are three causes, less significant in statistics, but still important: Policing and Justice, urban planning and substance abuse. Policing refers to relation between populations vs. number of persons in Police department. Equally important is Justice, which should be effective, because some offenders often are unpunished and relapsing into crim. Also, City preservations are relevant. It refers to maintaining good condition in streets and places in order to avoid mugging and pick-pocketing. Finally, alcohol and drugs are significant factor because they could induce antisocial behaviour.

In summary, crime has complex and multiple roots. Some causes have more impact, such as social problems and economic problems. Other causes have less significant statistic, such as policing and justice, Urban Planning and substance abuse. Nevertheless, all causes have influence and society must face and struggle against them. In my opinion, social causes are more significant than others and they certainly need more attention of the social order