Christina GermanoCCJS105 FC02Why People Break the LawDuring my senior year of high school, I took a criminal law elective. Prior to that class, I admittedly knew very little about the logistics of law breaking and the lawful processes that follow it. In addition to this class, I took AP Psychology, which also helped to shape my understanding of why people break the law. I believe that people break the law for one, or a combination of, several reasons: money, thrill, and/or psychological problems. As I have recently been taught in my Sociology lecture, poverty in the United States has been increasing significantly with the recent downward spiral of the economy. What was most startling about this news is that many people who used to live quite comfortably are now struggling to support themselves as a result of unemployment. Hence, I believe that one of the probable causes of law breaking is simply the need to sustain oneself. In economic situations such as the one this country currently faces, many people find themselves unable to attain the “American Dream” that is supposed to come as a result of hard work and perseverance. Such a feeling of failure might lead a person toresent the capitalistic nature of the United States and, in pure desperation, lead them to break the law.When passing through an impoverished area, I feel strikingly disconnected from that environment. Coming from a New York City suburb in New Jersey, this type of poverty seems unreal to me, as it probably does to most people privileged enough to be receiving a college education. It is for this reason that, when people hear of robberies, burglaries, theft, etc., it is natural for most to be baffled, and to wonder why someonewould take such a risk. But, when one takes into consideration the hardships faced by those who live in poverty, who work at minimum wage jobs, and who struggle to support themselves and their families, it seems almost logical that breaking the law for monetary benefit is their only choice. When I was younger, I saw the Broadway show Les Miserables. The main character, Jean Valjean, is living in an impoverished area of Franceand has no choice but to steal from a bakery in order to feed his family. I believe this typeof desperation can lead many people to unwillingly commit crimes. This can include, but is not limited to, robbery, theft, burglary, drug dealing and trafficking, prostitution, and any other forms of crime that stem from monetary conflicts. In addition to breaking the law for financial purposes, people break the law to experience the adrenaline that comes as a result of successfully breaking the law. When teenagers gather on the weekends to drink alcohol at parties, there is definitely some sense of thrill if they manage to do so without the police finding out. Breaking the law without the authorities’ knowledge allows people to feel superior to the law, resulting in euphoric emotions. For example, shoplifting from a neighborhood pharmacy does not always generate financial profit. Instead, stealing lipstick or gum, or any other inexpensive item often goes unnoticed by store owners and police, which allows the perpetrator to feel excitement and euphoria. All in all, a plausible cause for committing crimes is not always financial benefit, but instead the positive feelings associated with breaking the law, however minor the offense might be, without the authorities realizing. Finally, I believe that the most serious crimes must be caused by psychological imbalances. By way of nature, humans are not cannibalistic creatures, and hence cannot severely harm another without feeling remorse. It seems impossible that a human beingcan commit murder, rape, assault, or any of the related crimes without having some sort of psychological problem. In AP Psychology, I was taught that there are a number of disorders that lead to acts such as murder and serial killings. For example, many serial killers suffered from Antisocial Personality Disorder, or other related psychological issues. These problems cause a person to feel disconnected from themselves and from normal society, hence causing anger, angst, unease, and unusual desires to cause harm to others. Very often, these people suffered uneasy childhoods including abuse or neglect, therefore causing major psychological problems in their later years. Therefore, I strongly believe that people who commit the most serious crimes are often victims of psychological problems. It seems impossible that any chemically balanced human would be able to severely harm others without feeling remorse, and therefore must suffer from some psychological problem.Conclusively, I believe that there are three main causes of law breaking in this country. The inability to earn money effectively causes desperation, which leads to law breaking in an effort to sustain oneself. Breaking the law without the knowledge of authorities causes euphoria and entertainment. Finally, as human nature prevents any normal person from committing harmful crimes to another without remorse, they are likely a result of psychological
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