Varied Reasons Why People Commit Crimes

When two people meet; it is natural for them to have some judgments in mind, but that does not mean they are always true. Especially when they assume that they are not worthy of anything just because that person has done something sinful or immoral. But sometimes people do not consider the reasons as to what caused them to do that in the first place. The novel, Les Misérables by Victor Hugo portrays a man named Jean Valjean who is born into poverty and slowly transforms from a convict to a morally good man through a series of identities in order to help the suppressed. The blog by Tania, “Criminology Theories: The Varied Reasons Why People Commit Crimes,” explains several motives behind the life of crime; some of them considering that criminals

In this situation, it is not Jean Valjean’s fault that he becomes a criminal but is that he is poverty stricken and the government and community are doing nothing to resolve that. In Les Misérables as well as the blog, “Criminology Theories: The Varied Reasons Why People Commit Crimes,” the theme of crime and punishment is used to argue that people commit crimes not to intentionally hurt others always, but due to their hardships in poverty and social inequality. Crime is a resource when poverty takes everything and a person becomes desperate. In the Fantine section, Jean Valjean’s brother-in-law dies, leaving his sister to take care of seven children with nothing to eat, so he attempts to steal some bread. With no work, “...the family had no bread; literally, no bread, and seven children…..The thief had thrown away the bread, but his arm was still bleeding. It was Jean Valjean” (Hugo 23). Jean Valjean has no money to support his nephews and nieces, because of the low income

Jean Valjean is persecuted for being a criminal in the little town of D-----, and is not given a chance to lodge in an inn by most people. As Jean Valjean strives to convince a man to let him stay for the night, “..the man advanced to the door and said ‘Get out!’” (Hugo 10). Jean Valjean has traveled a long way ever since he has gained freedom from prison, and at this point all he wants is to find a place to stay for the night. He is so exhausted but no one has the compassion or grace for him because they realize that he is a thief. They feel that not only is Jean Valjean an outcast from society but is simply not worth loving. This oppression makes it hard for Jean Valjean to find hope among people, so he continues his misdeeds by stealing some candlesticks from Bishop Myriel. Similarly, the blog discusses how social and political forces like the wealthy and more privileged usually avoid the desires of the poverty stricken. The Conflict Theory states, “The criminal justice establishment aims at imposing standards of morality and good behavior created by the powerful on the whole of society….In the process the legal rights of poor folks might be ignored” (Tania). People who are financially stable compared to others are opportunities and considered to be more righteous. This gives them an excuse to disregard the poor and their rights. Political