Violent And Property Crime In Wortropolis Between 1980-2000

Question One: When explaining why both violent and property crimes increased in Wortropolis between 1980 and 2000, the violent and property crime rates must be considered first. Violent crime jumped from five instances per one-hundred thousand in 1980 to fifty cases for per one-hundred thousand in 2000, in other words, the rate increased by 1,000% in twenty years. Property crime increased from one hundred instances for every one-hundred thousand in 1980 to four hundred instances for every one-hundred thousand person in 2000, in other words, the rate increased by 400% in twenty years. The increase in violent and property crime in Wortropolis between 1980-2000 can be analyzed by the thought process of general strain theory and the logic

Manufacturing factories shutting down and moving overseas could cause the loss of a job “deprivation [due to] family disruption” (Siegel & McCormick, 2016, p. 221). Other evidence pointing to general strain theory being a cause of the property crime rate is “subcultures blam[ing] others for their misfortunes, including aggressive illegal acts.” (Siegel & McCormick, 2016, p. 221) However, not everyone reacts to strain the same way. While some people do not commit antisocial behaviour, low self esteem could lead to property crime in an attempt to raise their self esteem and self worth. Thus, strain and disjunction of expectations and unrealistic goals of the permanent residents could have resulted in the jump in property crime in Wortropolis from 1980-2000. The logic of rational choice theory demonstrates the jump in violent and property crime in Wortropolis from 1980-2000. Rational choice theory is “the view that delinquent behaviour is a rational choice made by a motivated offender who perceives the chances of gain as outweighing any perceived punishment or loss.” (Siegel & McCormick, 2016, p.126). Though poverty is not the leading cause of crime, the perception that crime does lead to profit and the high unemployment and loss of

The personal characteristics of the white collar offender is considered less dangerous by society and punished minimally, while the personal characteristics of the violent and property crime offender (minorities or the adolescent, single, inner city, male) is viewed as highly dangerous and punished more severely. “This outcome may be a function of society becoming “less tolerant or nonwhite populations and/or feeling more threatened by them.” (Siegel & McCormick, 2016, p. 291). During the sixty year period, the crimes that were being more concentrated on were seen as more serious - due to the influx of violent and property crimes as well as gangs, guns and drug trafficking. Although white collar crime existed in Wortropolis, these crimes were considered less serious than the perceived dangerous classes of the city - hence resulting in a low level of white collar offences during the 1950-2010