Some thoughts: 'Crime has always been with us as far back as history cares to dictate'
There are many reasons why individuals commit crime. Criminals can be desperate, mentally ill, lazy, bored, rich, unemployed and poor, on drugs or just they've made a career choice. A career in crime will start with the committing of a 'small' offence in which they have not been caught or the courts dealt lightly with the offender. This often leads to the idea that they have got away with it and that crime 'does pay'. Individuals with a criminal mindset believe they can outsmart the police and get away with it every time. Their crimes escalate to bigger and more serious offences which become a habit and a way of life.
There is no absolute definitive answer as to why someone commits a crime. If we delved into a psychology based analysis of every criminal mind, then this may give us more accurate predictors of crime. This method is being studied and may become a useful strategy in future crime prediction.
Drug related crimes and vandalism are sometimes committed because they give the perpetrators a thrill... it's a buzz! They know it's wrong but that adds to the surge of excitement they get when they're doing the crime!
Many crimes against property such as burglary, theft and assault are the work of drug addicts. They continually want money to pay for their next fix and will steal easy cash or belongings.
When people are high on drugs, they experience a heightened sense of confidence. It can make them much stronger, and any thought of morality, social conscience or reasonable thought is removed.
This cocktail of side effects also makes the criminal dangerous, because the drugs create a very strong craving which doesn't go away until they get their next 'hit'. So they are, quite literally, extremely desperate and will do just about anything to get drugs.
The most prevalent type of crime is the opportunist. Most crimes happen because the criminal can see a way of stealing something easily from us, usually when we are distracted or unaware and are more vulnerable and a better target for the criminal.
The opportunist criminal will watch how we lock our homes and our cars; we may leave things lying about, or walk down dark alleyways, presenting ourselves as an easy target.
We just don't think it will happen to us! Not in our neighborhood. It only happens to other people in other places.
Having security awareness in the community would most likely reduce crime by 50%. Each one of us has a responsibility to make ourselves less of a target for criminals and in so doing we can effectively and significantly lower the crime rate.
David Turner invites you to learn more about security now in an easy to understand way by logging on to the Foresight website. http://www.foresight-security.com I also offer you access to our ebooks that have been created for you - from our ebook site http://www.teaching-security.com These cover vital security subjects such as Business, Family and Children Security.
