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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 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 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 the outcome will never be as we completely expect. 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 checks and balances, as well as laws we have

Daniel Brittain

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 due to the ignorance and lack of participation from United
States citizens, which also shapes an environment where the government is often not
accountable for its actions. This is an example of how influences by an environment
may change someones or a peoples actions, because perhaps every United States
citizen was an active voter and a political watchdog. Those in government offices would
not dare to upset their constituents as it would mean dire consequences. The
environments influences on an individuals choices and decisions work the same way.
So if someone grows up in impoverished conditions, that environment of negativity and
struggle affects their decisions and choices substantially.
The cycles of crime and poverty are an extreme hindrance on the wellbeing of
those living in the United States, and not just for a few either. For those of you who dont
know, according to the United States Census bureau, 14.7 percent of the United States
population lives under the national poverty line. That is about forty-seven million
people (Alemayehu Bishaw 2016). Forty-Seven million people living paycheck to
paycheck, if you can even call it living. For your information, the government has
guidelines to see who lives in poverty based on the number of those living in a
household and their combined yearly income. So a four-person household making
$24,000 dollars a year is under the poverty line, and for a one person household, it is
about $11,000 a year (U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines 2015). With those who live in
poverty having limited guidance and very negative influences often having children who
too will have to face these influences and negative environments it is not hard to see

Daniel Brittain

why the cycle of poverty is so apparent in the United States. As more and more children
are born poor and forced to live in impoverished conditions, the financial success of
individuals and communities will steadily decline. Because without the proper guidance
and influences many will make bad decisions and actions that will negatively affect not
only them, but those around them.
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. Lesser as in situational foundation, the structure of
the home, financial wellbeing and, higher rates of violence. As persons living in poor
households at or below the Federal Poverty Level had more than double the rate of
violent victimization as persons in high-income households (Marcus Berzofsky 2014).
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

Daniel Brittain

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 state. Thus the 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 this question 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 learn very little practical knowledge at all, and continue to watch himself
and his family struggle. On the other hand, he can join his friends in this life of bad
influences filled with things such as drugs, violence, gangs and feel a part of something,
or at least have some stress relief when with friends. Maybe he could 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 what some deem as the right thing to
do against the seemingly 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,

Daniel Brittain

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
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 the supportive 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 organizations
which help the youth and target homeless people 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

Daniel Brittain

regardless of their level of rehabilitation, they will almost always 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
are not held back by their environments and/or circumstances. 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, discrimination, and downright ignorance have created and instead start
anew, and give the youth the opportunities and chances they deserve. Regardless of
who we are, where we come from, and what anyone else thinks we will become, we all
deserve an equal chance at succeeding in life.

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 furthering their own success through work or school, 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

Daniel Brittain

programs should be widely known, and spread throughout the local area 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 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 in
ways that will increase their chances of success and stability.
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

Daniel Brittain

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.
I propose a mass change in how our society currently functions, which is
of a selfish mindset, toward a more community focused mentality that makes
people take pride and want to help the wellbeing of their local area as much as
possible. We need citizens who are willing to sacrifice time and money in order to
support those in need, as it is imperative we have people wanting to help others,
not it just being mandated by the government. This lack of wanting to sacrifice of
course is heavily due to the amount of mistrust of our government, our societys
selfish mindset and even because those who are financially stable, must devote
most of their time to keeping it that way. But I believe, if a few individuals are
willing to spearhead this problem, others will surely follow suit. If people see that
programs and ideologies like this are successful, and actually do help people,
they would be more than willing to participate in some way and that is what will
make this work. By making people feel responsible and have an urge to help
their communities and to take pride in them, we will not need external funding
and help in the long term, it will become a responsibility of those in the
community to help take care of individuals in need in their area.
This idea is not radical, nor unreasonable. It CAN be done, and it
SHOULD be done, but it can only be achieved if we as a society change our
selfish ways, and look toward a future of having a responsibility to those in need.
A future that entails us to take pride in our communities and to be willing to put in

Daniel Brittain

the time to clean them up ourselves, not just leaving it up to the next guy. This
cycle of poverty can be reverted, and we can all have equal opportunity as it is
supposed to be, but only if we act. Not just by tweeting a hashtag or updating
your Facebook profile, but actually working to make a difference. Exercising our
civil liberties such as voting, not only in the presidential elections, but local and
state ones as well. Letting the leadership know how you and many others feel
through petitions, or by simply writing letters to your congress men. Of course
results may vary but it is a start, and most certainly better than doing nothing.
Above all, the most important thing you can do to help achieve these goals is to
focus your efforts on helping your community, fixing these negative environments
and by recruiting others to do the same. I hope you have retained something
from this paper, and will act on what I have proposed in some way, thank you for
reading this long work all the way through, it is deeply appreciated.

Daniel Brittain

Bibliography
The United States. U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. Household Poverty
and Nonfatal Violent Victimization, 20082012. By Erika Harrell. Bureau of Justice Statistics,
n.d. Web.
The United States. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey Briefs. Poverty: 2014 and
2015. By Alemayehu Bishaw. N.p., Sept. 2016. Web.
The United States. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Office of the Assistant
Secretary. U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines Used to Determine Financial Eligibility for Certain
Federal Programs. N.p., 22 Jan. 2015. Web.

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