Why Do People Break The Law

As with any aspect of human behaviour, I think it is very difficult to assess why people break the law. Although this process may be difficult, it is not without merit. In this paper I will discuss my personal opinion on crime causation and how my life experiences have shaped these views. I believe this process is important because one must always be aware of their attitudes and biases when critically examining social phenomena. I believe that there are three levels in one’s life that can increase his or her likelihood to break the law. On the macro level, there are societal variables such as political stability, oppression, economic conditions, and police legitimacy. These factors contribute to crime across society because they can create negative social environments with violence, discrimination, poverty, and enforcement issues. I believe socio-economic status and social location are the most important factors on this level because they affect a person on a daily basis and are often pervasive throughout one’s life.
Factors such as parenting and attachment styles, family dynamics, childhood care/maltreatment, and social networks and support systems. I believe the presence of childhood abuse and neglect is the biggest indicator on this level because childhood development is negatively affected and this changes a person for the rest of their lives. Lastly, the micro-level variables include personality and temperament, genetic predispositions, IQ, mental health, and locus of control. I believe that personality and temperament are the key factors because they can present as irritability, low self-efficacy, neuroticism, and poor social skills. This leaves one at a social disadvantage when interacting with the world around them, often leading to negative perceptions of society as a