Poverty is not an excuse for crime as morality is the biggest factor, claims Paige
Children commit crime because they lack morals and not just because of the environment they live in, according to a study carried out by local researchers which has now been finalised by Paige, a representative for Avon and Somerset Constabulary.
Researchers studied around 600 young people in Bristol and discovered that most adolescent crime is not just youthful opportunism.
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The bulk of offences were carried out by a small group who also did the most serious crimes like burglaries, robberies and car thefts
In fact, while it is agreed that urban environments trigger some young people to commit crime, it is their morality which is the biggest factor.
Other teenagers remain highly resistant to committing crime - regardless of the circumstances.
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Youngsters were asked about their attitudes to crime and what offences they had committed. The information was cross-checked with police and school records. The researchers found that 3.8 per cent of those surveyed had carried out 47 per cent of the 16,000 offences.
Paige, from Downend, said: "I am aware that crime is on the rise, but I was overwhelmed by these shocking results."
"After liaising with youths living in the area of Fishponds, I understood some were committing crimes due to 'lack of entertainment'. After many discussions and petitions, a new Community Hall is in the process of being built, which will hold a number of activities and events."
"Society lectures children and young people about how well behaved they should be, but it's not behaving in a way that warrants respect."
''Many young people are 'crime-averse' and don't perceive crime as a possible course of action - it doesn't matter what the situation is."
The idea that opportunity makes the thief – that young people will inevitably commit crime in certain environments – runs counter to our findings.
Rather, only the "crime-prone" become vulnerable to said opportunities when taking part in environments with a moral context that encourages or at least does not discourage crime.
Comments
by Tiny_Steve
Thursday, September 13 2012, 4:52PM
“Quality article. Ben Goldacre would be proud of the Post.
What the article doesn't mention is that some crimes (speeding, for example) are socially acceptable (because we all do it) even though they put lives at risk. Whereas others such as wearing a t-shirt with a slogan outside parliament (which harms no-one) can land you in jail.
The picture is much more complex than this thin article suggests.”
by RobS75
Thursday, September 13 2012, 3:38PM
“Bad parenting is partially is to blame, whether they are from rich or poor backgrounds.
Parenting and child care should be taught in schools.”
by harryreg_uk
Thursday, September 13 2012, 1:19PM
“Children commit crime because nothing happens if they're caught - duh!”
by jaybe13
Thursday, September 13 2012, 1:01PM
“Adolescent behaviour has been linked in the past to a need to take risks: http://tinyurl.com/9pzewj4 http://tinyurl.com/9un76fv Some need to take risks more than others, and where there are few positive ways of taking risks (sports for example) or these ways are inaccessible or expensive then negative risk-taking (drinking, promiscuity, crime, gang-membership etc) becomes an easier option. Those who engage in high risk negative activities may also have learned it from the adults around them, and some people feel the need to take risks more than others. That's why most people won't steal, or beat people up.
Fishponds, for example, has lots of pubs and a number of shops selling alcohol. That suits me - I'm not an adolescent and definitely not a risk-taker - but it doesn't leave much in the way of positive risk-taking to engage in (and before you write in about your club or team etc - when was the last time you publicised it to non-members, and what facilities do you have?)
There's no sports-centre here: the nearest one is at Easton. The buses are expensive and that's before you've paid to get in to do your chosen sport. A youth-centre may help, but bear in mind that unless it provides an outlet for those who need to take risks, it will get vandalised, because that's another outlet for the need to take risks.
At one time work gave young people a way of directing their need to take risks (no, I'm not going to condemn "Health and Safety gone mad" as that's untrue: no-one should have a greater risk of death or injury at work than is reasonable. It's also a different issue) but with jobs so hard to get, sublimating and directing a need to take risks is also difficult to do. All those lectures you had to sit through at school about needing good qualifications to get a good job - all b**l***t: at least that's the way it seems.
Then there's the fine example set to us by our politicians: refusal to accept responsibility, covering-up illegal activities, stealing from the public purse, out to get what they can for themselves, happy to scapegoat those with the least but unwilling to close tax-loopholes which benefit those with the most. With that before us, it's more surprising that there aren't more young criminals out there.”
by Lone_Ranger
Thursday, September 13 2012, 11:52AM
“Is "Paige" unfortunate enough not to possess a first or surname or is he/she so famous that, like Pele, Madonna and Lemmy, just the single word sobriquet is all that is required?”
by BCFCfinker
Thursday, September 13 2012, 11:39AM
“Another bit of research about 'morality' but no link to the paper.
Ok, here's something to turn this sort of junk science on it's head. Are the kids causing all the problem 'wanted' kids? America's crime rate plummeted in the tail end of the 80s and they tried to say it was tough policing etc. was the reason for it's decline. Turned out, it could have been something entirely different:
http://tinyurl.com/923ryql
Obviously something pro-lifers et al wouldn't like to entertain as a possible reason i.e. unwanted children might be the reason for crime problems.”