Will Economic Troubles Increase Crime Rate?
Posted on October 20, 2008
Filed Under Burglary, Child Abuse, Criminal Law, Domestic Violence, Drugs, Felonies, Fraud, Identity Theft, Law, News, Robbery, Theft, misdemeanor |
Financial desperation often leads to desperate acts. In California, an unemployed money manager lost a fortune and killed his family in a tragic murder-suicide. In Ohio, a 90-year-old widow shot herself as deputies arrived to evict her from her home of 38 years.
The first wave of violent fallout from the current economic crisis seems to be inward. People under severe financial stress who feel there’s no way out of their problems are taking the ultimate way out. Calls to suicide-prevention hot lines have risen about 20% in the past year with many of the calls about money troubles. Law enforcement specialists fear crime rates will rise next.
A tremendous number of people in America feel overwhelmed by debt or threatened by the loss of their home or savings or retirement funds. “It’s that sense of having the rug pulled out from under them,” explained the Rev. Canon Ann Malonee, vicar of Trinity Church in Manhattan, located just a block from the World Trade Towers disaster. Malonee said people’s response to the worst economic crisis since the depression is reminiscent of 9/11.
Historically, suicide rates increase during times of economic hardship. And not far behind are crime rates. The longer our economic woes continue, the greater the impact they will have on people’s individual lives. Businesses are struggling, bankruptcies increasing, layoffs and plant closings escalating, evictions skyrocketing, and repossessions rising. As the financial noose tightens and people can’t pay their bills, they start defaulting on home loans, car loans, credit card payments. Like a house of cards, one financial problem leads to another and another until everything collapses.
The extreme stress takes a toll on people’s psyche. Normally rational, patient, hard-working people panic. They convince themselves that pocketing a couple of bills from the register, sneaking office supplies into their briefcase, using a customer’s credit card number or shoplifting a couple of items won’t hurt anyone. Petty theft, shoplifting, embezzlement, identity theft and fraud escalate when people run short of money. Burglary, robbery and armed robbery are also apt to increase the longer the recession drags on. The news has already reported incidents of bank robbery and ATM holdup sprees.
Just as worrisome is that fact that many people take out their stress on their family. Financial problems are a touchstone for family strife. Social workers worry that domestic violence and spousal and child abuse will escalate, particularly where people turn to alcohol or drugs to avoid their problems.
You should realize that the courts do not recognize desperation as a defense if you commit a crime. If you break the law, talk to a skilled criminal defense attorney about your options. But don’t wait until you’re at the breaking point. Seek help. City, county and state agencies, as well as many churches, provide many free services.
-LegalPro
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