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Causes Of Crime - Coggle Diagram
Causes Of Crime
Social Causes of Crime
One major cause is being under the influence of alcohol
Nearly 70% of crime is committed whilst the perpetrator is drunk
An example would be the case of Callum McDonald drink driving in Aberdeen.
Another cause could be the perpetrator having childhood trauma
People who have experienced childhood trauma are 15x more likely to commit violent crimes and 20x more likely to be in prison
An example would be the case of former prisoner and mentor to current prisoners, Eddie. He lost his father when he was a child so his crimes were likely fuelled by this
Another main cause is social pressure, mainly on men/boys
This means that many men and boys may be encouraged or pressured to take part in certain acts.
An example of the effects of this is that 80% of domestic abuse cases towards women are perpetrated by men, possibly linked to social pressures
Biological Causes Of Crime
One biological cause of crime may be because the perpetrator has a brain disorder or a severe mental health disorder
This means that there are certain parts of the brain that aren't how they are supposed to be causing the perpetrator to commit crimes. The problem with this is splitting the definition between childhood trauma causing this or the perpetrator simply being a psychopath
An example would be Aaron Campbell, the killer of Alesha MacPhail. He didn't have any obvious social influences for causing the murder and he was declared a psychopath.
People are biologically born as men are more likely to commit crimes
This is due to the higher levels of testosterone that biological men have in comparison to women.
90% of Scottish prisoners were male at birth
A cause may have been because the perpetrator's brain isn't fully developed
This means that people under a certain age (typically 25) are classified as not having fully developed their brains.
For example, In 2020, Scottish judges declared that under 25s should have more limits before going to jail as their brains aren't fully developed.
Economic Causes of Crime
One main economic cause is poverty
For many, many years, especially now, people are struggling with their finances. This is particularly difficult for people currently living in poverty. People who live in poverty are more likely to commit a crime for things such as food or clothing, this is for survival.
For example, 25% of crimes of dishonesty are committed in Scotland are by people stealing food and clothing
Another economic cause is simply greed
Some people simply want more money even if they are already wealthy.
An example would be British comedian Jimmy Carr evading tax
Another economic cause is unemployement
Some people may not have anything else to do and they may need money/drugs. They may join gangs who engage in illegal acts
For example, Maryhill has a high level of gang crimes, caused by a high level of unemployment