Photo by Ron Lach

Rosser McDonald’s Real Prison Real Freedom looks hard at the arduous process of an inmate searching for redemption and hope in prison and the harrowing details of criminal life.

No one chooses to be a criminal. That is to say that people don’t become criminals because they choose to be criminals, which is entirely accurate for Rickie Smith, whose life Rosser McDonald writes about in Real Prison Real Freedom. Rickie Smith was born into a violent household in a community that did not shield him from its influence. Of course, growing up in a place like that is sure to tint one’s perception, so it is no surprise that Rickie Smith became as he was: a violent criminal who eventually found himself behind bars.

According to Dr. Keith Price, a prison warden who significantly influenced Rickie Smith’s life in the correction facility, the people who find themselves in prison are the rejects of society. These people are barred from succeeding because of a horrible upbringing, substance addiction, and terrible education–all these mounts to failures and force people to survive through illegal means, which is committing crimes. “It’s continual,” Dr. Price says.

Some Factors that Lead to Criminality

So, knowing that criminality is forced upon people, what can society do to prevent more people from being coerced into such a destructive and dangerous path?

Yes, individuals have to be responsible for their actions. People can try to understand the underlying causes of why individuals are more prone to becoming criminals, but that should not automatically forgive them for their actions. 

However, while no one individual is obligated to pardon anyone’s crimes, and everyone should always act responsibly, societies must address those causes to keep order and promote the general well-being of their constituents. For communities to prevent crime, it is essential to understand its roots.

Although they are interrelated, there are three main categories of the root causes of crime:

Economic Factors

Poverty can be pretty debilitating for many people, leading many to commit acts of criminality. High rates of economic disempowerment are correlated with higher rates of crime. Since impoverished individuals have fewer options for improving their livelihoods and the only activities open to them are criminal, it is understandable why they might become prone to conducting them. The increase in class inequality can be seen as the result of this: the inability to gain social mobility and support their families leaves people frustrated and inept, leading to riskier choices that often coincide with criminal activity.

Theft and burglary are common crimes for the poor due to wanting to provide for themselves and their communities.

In short, crimes are likelier without economic opportunities.

Social Factors

Money is the most crucial item for mobility in today’s society; an individual’s wealth can directly be tied to social status, self-worth, family background, and occupation. The lower one’s wealth, the more likely their means are lower. So, this appreciation for wealth has shaped how people accrue money, meaning plenty is subtly coerced into committing crimes to acquire more wealth. Another aspect to consider is the absence of social programs that help individuals with life’s necessities, such as healthcare, food, housing, etc. People might become criminals because they are trying to pay hospital bills, rent, and electricity bills.

In short, crimes are likelier if a society can’t provide for its people.

Family Factors

Economic and social factors can significantly contribute to family conditions; inversely, family conditions can also influence these two factors. Criminality is strongly associated with family ties, with many criminal organizations beginning as family activities; good examples would be the Mafia and the drug cartels. Of course, not every criminal can trace their origins to family; some, though, feel an overwhelming obligation to provide for them and, as such, are drawn to illegal acts.