As much as employed men earning a living honestly helps, even those types commit crime. Ultimately, one has to choose not to do a crime. We’ve heard the discussion about stealing bread to feed your family. What stops one from doing it?
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It's not the 'honest' guy stealing to feed his family who causes the rise in crime.
Hard times bring despair among the weak. Despair, mixed with daily hopelessness and boredom leads to drug use in those areas where it is already part of the landscape.
Drug use leads to addiction. A jonesing junkie, crackhead or tweaker will hit anybody on the head if it means he can get well.
I saw plenty of it in the seventies.