I've been on the job in NJ (the "home" of profiing) on a Gang Task Force for about 6 years, and this is my take on the thread from my perspective. People are products of their environment, and to say that economic factors are not directly related to crime statistics would be an ignorant statement to make. To say that someone, by virtue of being black or hispanic is more likely to commit crime solely because of their genetic makeup is again an ignorant statement. However, race plays a larger factor than income (at least in my experience) in one's propensity to become a criminal. To substantiate that statement, think of it this way.... look at the role models that the blacks and hispanics look up to.... Tupac, 50 Cent, and the rest of those POS Gangster rappers. Do any of them offer anything more positive than the G's Up, Hoes Down, Shoot 'em all lifestyle? No. The glorification of crime and violence, particularly in regards to drugs and gangs and the associated lifestyle are what these adolescents are looking up to and, essentially, emulating. That is a conscious decision that is made, independent of income. Rap albums aren't cheaper than country albums, so economics play no role in the determination.
IMHO, economic factors, though existent, are far outweighed by other factors that are controllable, and arrived at through a conscious decision on the part of the criminal. Basically, you choose the criminal life, it doesn't choose you. And if blacks and hispanics, for instance, choose it more often than whites, oh well.
IMHO, economic factors, though existent, are far outweighed by other factors that are controllable, and arrived at through a conscious decision on the part of the criminal. Basically, you choose the criminal life, it doesn't choose you. And if blacks and hispanics, for instance, choose it more often than whites, oh well.