Ignorance is never seen as an excuse to commit criminal acts. In light of this it is feasible to state that ignorance, while not a defense by itself, is a part of the problem that comes in analyzing why individuals perform illegal acts and show proclivities towards becoming career criminals. In many instances crime does not require a genius to commit the act, but a lack of any formal education has become an indicator as to who is most at risk in becoming career criminals. Poor education is seen as a barometer for criminal behavior.
The main question concerning the crime rates throughout the world is how they can be prevented and how can the increase in crime be stopped or at least slowed. While many research studies, test groups, and various surveys have been conducted in order to best discuss how to alleviate such a concern, one of the most telling notions is one that has been evident for many years but has not yet been fully instituted as a means to an end. The reason behind this is hardly a simple explanation of terms and facts, but the underlying notion that it could work is enough to wonder why it has not yet been fully implemented to combat rising crime rates. The better educated an individual is, the more capable they are of living in an ordered society (Lochner & Moretti, 2004).
The idea is sound enough, but the practice is where the real breakdown begins to occur.
With schools either closing or existing in a woefully under-funded state, it is often very difficult
people are left out of a proper educational experience. When this happens it is all too often that
young individuals, seeing that one is taking care of their educational well-being, will seek other methods of learning that will allow them to both learn how to survive and in some cases how to get what many of them believe is an easy living. This type of learning is normally quite anti-social and fosters behaviors and attitudes that not at all conducive to teaching children how to function in a law-abiding society.
Many questions have been raised about this issue, though most of them have centered around the issue of what needs to be done to insure that more children stay in school. Some have gone so far as to question the school system itself, as well as the institutions that have been shown to fail students on an academic and personal level. It is believed at this time that if society focused upon educating its youth rather than seeking to punish those who were never given a chance that crime would be cut drastically in the USA alone.
Poor education tends to go hand in hand with poverty, and by extension crime. Those who are unable to seek higher education are less likely to find non-criminal professions that are capable of supporting an individual let alone a family. As a result these individuals are continually lumped into low-income, poverty-ridden communities where crime is a normal part of the average day. Without the knowledge and the additional skills that can make them valuable to high-paying employers, many such individuals that come from low-income areas are at higher risk for turning towards crime as a means of supporting their families and themselves.
Worse than the realization of how a lack of education can contribute to a rise in the crime
rate is that there is a well-defined and observable line by which researchers can claim that race
and gender affect this issue as well. While it is not all-inclusive as a study, it is often seen that
those who suffer the most when it comes to education are those of African-American and Latino
descent. While there are many Caucasians as well that do not benefit from a much needed
education their numbers are startlingly low when compared to those who are considered minorities. It is typically seen both in the media and in practice that inner-city individuals, most often African-Americans and Latinos as well as several other smaller minorities, are often deprived of a decent education.
In truth it is every ethnicity and race that suffers from the lack of a decent education. Not only do individuals and communities feel the increased strain from a deficit of educated and trained individuals, but the economy feels the pinch as well. When those who have no formal education feel the need to turn to a life of crime in order to make ends meet it affects everyone as it requires a substantial amount for law enforcement to keep the peace in neighborhoods where crime is more evident. The impact felt by the decline of educated individuals is a snowball effect that eventually ends up costing taxpayers as they must front the cost for prisoners and their keeping.
Once an individual becomes part of the system the problem has already escalated to the point that it is no longer just a matter of poor education (Matthews, 2012). At the moment a prisoner is booked and sentenced they have become another drain upon an economy that must provide for them and insure that they are cared for in as humane a manner as possible. What is contradictory to this situation is that people on the outside, those who choose not to break the law, sometimes have more trouble surviving than do those who are incarcerated for long stretches of time.
At this point the education system that several prisons have instituted (Riggs, 2013) is becoming far better in reconditioning its students than most regular schools could hope to be. The education system in America has become a massive issue that requires a solid plan and a
foolproof means of implementation. Many efforts have already been made to begin the process of turning at-risk students into promising and productive members of society, but the lure of the criminal life is simply too strong at times. It would seem at times that the idea of prison is not enough to keep students on the path towards a better education.
While there is a strong correlation between a lack of education and criminal behavior, it is a matter of options that exist for youths today. Instead of forcing school upon them in a manner that is often seen as boring, repetitive, and dull, it is instead necessary to discover what drives each student and plan accordingly. While such a statement is easy to make and harder to implement, the truth is that the youth of today have little other choice but to be productive or imprisoned. Instead of attempting to scare them with a future that might never be, it is far more important to inspire them with the possibility of a tomorrow that might be attainable.
Programs such as Beyond Scared Straight showcase what could possibly happen if students do not stay in school and become a productive part of society. The act of scaring a teen into desiring a better education is not always effective, but it is at least a step in the right direction. If more adolescents could be made aware of the costs of their decisions it would go a long way towards reducing the prison population and crime rates. To do this it is necessary to understand where the majority of the problems exist so that a reformation plan might be devised.
Society needs to understand the deficit in learning and focus less on test scores and more on the individuals. Without proper understanding there can be no real knowledge gained on either side, and the students become the ones who will pay for the lack. Without knowledge it is ignorance that leads the way, and in doing so produces those who know little about the consequences of their actions. Without guidance and a proper education criminal behavior is the only means left to those who can’t afford to survive.
Works Cited
Lochner, Lance & Moretti, Enrico. “The Effect of Education on Crime: Evidence from Prison
Inmates, Arrests, and Self-Reports.” American Economic Review 94.1 (2004): 155-189. Web.
Matthews, Dylan. “How education reform can fight crime.” The Washington Post. 30 July 2012.
Web. 18 March 2016.
Riggs, Mike. “Why Prisoner Education Is Key to Reducing Crime.” City Lab, The Atlantic.
9 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 March 2016.
