NCJ Number
102533
Journal
Policy Review Dated: (Summer 1986)
Date Published
1986
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Crime is the cause of poverty in urban areas in that individuals and communities victimized by crime have more difficulty breaking out of poverty.
Abstract
Most poor people are honest citizens whose opportunities for advancement are stunted by the drug dealers, muggers, and other criminals who terrorize their neighborhoods. These predators prey on the property and sometimes the lives of the poor, who suffer higher rates of victimization than wealthier people. Poor people often lack insurance to cover property loss. Crime lowers their property values as well, making it harder to accumulate capital and borrow money. Crime can also destroy the quality of life in public housing projects. It hampers commerce and industry in inner cities by raising the operating costs of businesses and scares away customers and suppliers. The ineffectiveness of the criminal justice system in solving most crimes is a further problem. Poor people have little mobility and cannot escape their neighborhoods. Crime and disorder increase people's sense of fear and vulnerability, starting the process of neighborhood deterioration. Strong anticrime efforts based on increased security measures are the best way to reverse this process. Fences, lighting, monitoring, and private security guards are measures that several communities have used to revitalize their commercial districts. These programs have shown that providing security enables businesses to succeed even in the most hostile environments. Reducing crime should be the first step in any urban antipoverty program.