The first contributing element to crime is poverty. Many of the people in poverty are desperate to do something about their situation so they turn to crime as a means of doing so. In many cases, the people see the money that can come out of crime. Such things as robbing banks and convenient stores offer a good source of income as long as they are not caught. When comparing the crime rates of states to the poverty levels, one can see there is a great correlation between the two. States like New Hampshire, where the poverty level is relatively low, have very low crime rates. On the other hand, places such as Washington D.C., where the poverty level is very high, have very

Another factor that contributes to cause of crime is the lack of education. Children in poverty stricken communities usually do not receive a proper education. The term "proper education" can be taken in many ways. Usually it means that the essential information that is used in life after school is taught in an effective manner. The end of high school is usually the accepted level of education where these needs are met. When an individual that went through high school does not accomplish such things as reading and writing, it is very hard to go far in life for them. Employment opportunities are very scarce for such an individual so they may turn to crime to help meet the basic needs in life that they can't afford. Sixty-eight percent of all people arrested in the United States are illiterate. This statistic shows a great correlation between the inadequacy of education and crime. Research shows that quality education is one of the most effective forms of crime prevention. Educational skills can help deter young people from committing criminal acts and can greatly decrease the likelihood that people will return to crime after release from prison. There are many resources available to prisoners to help get a proper education now and they have been proving effective so far. This method of prevention is only after a crime has been committed though. The improvement of the education system now will have better results in stopping crime before it starts.

Poverty, a lack of education, and peer pressure are all factors that contribute to the occurrence of crime. Preventing these fa

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Approximate Word count = 1076
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)