Crime came before laws and laws were created to prevent crime, by setting boundaries and creating consequences if those boundaries are crossed. A crime is something that breaks a law. There are endless possible reasons and situations that would drive a person to commit a crime. Some crimes are more on impulse while some are carefully plotted and prepared for months. Sometimes a person has a mental problem and can't control themselves, and sometimes a person knows exactly what they are doing, but is being selfish or getting revenge. Four specific reasons that crime occurs are hatred, revenge, poverty and peer pressure.

In reality, the major predators to humans are other humans. In my opinion, another reason crime is more likely to happen be because people are exposed to so much crime and killing that they become desensitized. By the age of 18, we will have been exposed to thousands of graphic violent acts. Too many of us have become desensitized to it, not realizing the true effects of this type of exposure. Crime and killing is in the movies we go to see, the music we listen to, the television shows we watch, the video games we play, the 10 o'clock news we watch, in the newspapers we read, the magazines we subscribe to, the novels we read, and it’s happening in the very schools where we send our children. It's everywhere and we all get this exposure to some extent.

Hate crimes often occur as a result of prejudice and ignorance. A lack of understanding about differences among people and their traditions contributes to fear and intolerance. Left unaddressed, these sentiments may often lead to acts of intimidation and ultimately hate-motivated violence. Hate crimes include acts of defacing property, desecrating graves and places of worship, assault, and murder.

Revenge crimes are harmful actions against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived In addition called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance. For example, someone may become a victim of burglary and this may also impact the victim’s beliefs about the likelihood of burglary. Due to their victimization, it may generate a demand for self-protection in the form of burglar alarms, window grills, or a gun. Maybe, under some circumstances the victim is made known who the burglar is and therefore wants to retaliate. This person may feel that help from authorities is not sufficient and may take matters into their own hands to seek some falsehood of justice or closure.

When it comes to poverty it is said that if you struggle to pay your bills and don't know where your next meal is coming from, studies have shown you are more likely to be incarcerated. Once you fall into that cycle, it's difficult to break out. Studies have also shown that people resort to crime only if they determine that potential benefits outweigh the cost or consequences of committing that. Therefore, people living in poverty are more likely to commit crimes such as burglary, larceny or theft. It is a fact that neighborhoods where the poor are concentrated are more prone to high crime rates, and poor residents are the most common victims of crimes. From a poverty stricken point of view, poor people want/need stuff so they have to take it because they can't afford to get it any other way.

Another reason why people commit crime is because of peer pressure. This depends on the sort of friends or people they associate with or are influenced by. For example a couple of kids have nothing to do so they go out and do some vandalism and if you’re in that group of people then you are more likely to do what they do so you are part of the group. You may act out of peer pressure.

These people are making choices about their behavior; some even consider a life of crime better than a regular job because they believe crime brings in greater rewards, admiration, and excitement. At least until they are caught. Others get an adrenaline rush when successfully carrying out a dangerous crime. Others commit crimes on impulse, out of rage or fear. Criminologists looked to a wide range of factors to explain why a person would commit crimes. These included biological, psychological, social, and economic factors.

To conclude, I personally believe that when laws are broken the appropriate punishment for the crime should be applied. Too often, cookie cutter punishments are used as a means to set an example for others or potential offenders. Some people also slip right through the judicial system without even a slap on the wrist. All these things create feelings of anger, grief, vengeance, racism, fear, violence, etc. That leads to an even bigger trap which includes poverty, broken families, lost jobs, no jobs and so on. Some type of way there needs to be justice and equality so we can avoid hatred, revenge, poverty and peer pressure to do harmful things. Also, prisons should be used only for those who absolutely must be incarcerated and those who are incarcerated should have all of the resources they need to turn their lives around. And on top of that, someone or some team needs to be over the criminal justice systems to ensure they meet these goals! America can be so quick to punish, but when we provide resources as a part of the judiciary process then this recurring crime problem may take a turn for the better.