Criminals are born, not made. Comment.

People on this Earth are given birth to lay foot on these grounds as normal human beings. No one is recognised as a doctor or a lawyer, the second he or she is born. Similarly, it is outright wrong to notify that criminals are born. In my opinion, I feel that there are a few factors that contribute to criminals being made or developing. I will highlight these various factors along the way in my write up.

Parents form one of the main reasons as to why criminals are being made. To put it in greater detail, the actions of parents cause their children to turn to crime and other such heinous activities. Actions in this case, can be either in the form of what the parents put forth on their children, such as treating them like dirt, disrespecting their basic dignity or merely abusing them badly. On the other hand, their actions can also be those that reflect upon themselves whereby they also involve in criminal activities.

There is a saying that “The youth of today, are the leaders of tomorrow”. However, in this context, the abused youth of today, turn out to be the criminal minded terrors of tomorrow. Children whom are brought up in a family where they are being constantly abused develop a mentality that no one cares about them and in return, they too should care for no one. When this mentality develops in them in a young age, their future will solely be based on this mentality itself. They begin to be anti-socialists. They begin to shun people and think that hitting or causing harm to a random stranger is completely fine. This then arises to the point where they are stamped to be criminals of the society. A research has been done by Caledon Institute, stating that over 50% of violent offenders witnessed abuse in their homes during their youth and that physically abused youths are 5 times more likely to become violent adults. This statement clearly shows that the criminals are being made and not born into the society.

Living areas and where people live, also determines the fact as to why criminals are made and not born. Compare the differences between a person living in a friendly neighbourhood and a person who has grown up in a “Brothel”. It is apparent that the person who grew up in the friendly neighbourhood will turn out to be a normal person with a right mind of life. However, when looking at the person who grew up in the “Brothel”, there is this slight contemplation that he may be affected mentally through his life. When eyeing the harsh situations that take place around his living area since young, he grows up with the mentality that, the way of a prostitute is the normal way of life. He has yet to see light in the outer world and so, knows nothing about it. Therefore, when he finally gets a chance out into the civilization, he acts differently towards people especially his female counterparts. He may forcefully carry out sexual assaults on these people and feel that it is okay, but at the end of the day, it is the law that dictates him to be a sexual offender or basically, a criminal.

The final reason as to why I feel that criminals are being made and not born is because of the fact that these people undertake activities that are socially undesirable and from there, they unknowingly develop a certain sense of satisfaction in committing crimes. In this case, when stating “socially undesirable activities”, I relate to things like drug and alcohol abuse. In a recent case study by “Sheffield Pathways Out of Crime Study (SPOOCS), at the University of Sheffield”, it is stated that they have found a link between drug abuse and criminal activities by these abusers. When these abusers inhale drugs and consume alcohol, they develop a care-free mindset where anything they do, they consider it to be good and lawfully correct. Hence, when these abusers suddenly turn to crime, they may not have committed it intentionally but under the law, they did practice criminal activities and so they will be convicted.

Hence, from the examples and factors that I have stated, I can truthfully justify that criminals of today are not born but are sculpted by certain factors and forces. These criminals are still normal human beings under their criminal facade. Thus, it is incorrect to state that they were born criminals as all of us step foot on this planet as one from of living species-humans.