The Relationship between Crime and Poverty

There are contradictions and self-imposed myths that continue to manifest in our society that begs for critical assessment, engagement and analysis. Relatively we have a serious misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the relationship between crime and poverty, because ignorantly we have no appreciation of the historical constructs of our country and the current socio-economic status quo that are contributing factors to crime.

Fallacious arguments continue to manifest in our social circles that misunderstand reasons and sources of unfavorable violent social behavior. Strategies, policies, financial and human resources have been availed to “fight and combat crime”, yet these blanket interventions, including the community policing initiative, the ‘neighborhood watch’ that operates in affluent locations with very racist tendencies, have failed to prevent crime as evidence corroborates with news in our daily newspapers. What we have set forth is a counter-revolutionary anti-black precedence of launching war against the wrong enemy, engaging on the wrong battlefield and fighting with the wrong weapons.

An analysis from NAMPOL’s weekly crime bulletins of 2015/2016, illustrates that about 99% of the population in prison are from the black community and only 1% or less are from the white. Studying the reports further reveals that as compared to whites, 99,5% of blacks are relatively involved in crimes from armed robberies, assaults, theft, house break-ins, gender based violence, rape and murder cases. While a breakdown of the findings inform that more blacks under 35 years old more are involved in these crimes. Alarmingly less than 25 years old are more than 79 times more likely to be arrested for theft, murder or violent cases, hence on per capita basis; blacks commit more violent crimes than whites do.

All this crimes are characterized by common triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequalities. It is young people presently disadvantaged; it is young people that commit these crimes who are not in education, employment or training. And they all live in neighborhoods characterized by poverty. Because of this structural displacement, desperation, dehumanization and hopelessness, last options are to disengage and employ survival strategies of crime to keep up and provide for themselves and their families.

These triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and structural inequalities are born from a historical construct of white men’s colonialism and the apartheid legacy. For instance, the classical deliberate displacement that birthed Katutura which further extended to informal settlements; the subsequent birth of black markets and the Bantu education system; exacerbated by the dispossession of urban land and farms unjustly acquired and compounded by the strategic economic sectors in the hands of the minority few who are white.

Crime is also provoked by the government of the day that have paid less attention and effort to address the manifestations and contradictions of the colonial and apartheid legacy and having failed to re-imagine, reconstruct, develop and deliver a cured, just, thriving and inclusive society beyond rhetoric. As a result blacks are institutionally excluded from social, political and economic opportunities. This are realities that explains the reasons for crime committed by young black men.

Often politicians misunderstand that peace, stability and unity cannot prevail within a society that is characterized by poverty. What is thus needed is a systematic response from all stakeholders of society, which should be aimed at service delivery, and the tackling of material differences aimed at uplifting the poor and bettering the lives of all. Moreover, our solutions should be combined with radical development and empowerment interventions to restore the dignity of the black man and woman. Instead of slogans and symbols, making institutions more inclusive is about changing the politics of a society to empower the poor, disenfranchised and the excluded. Social investment, to youth in rural communities, to the delivery of basic services from housing, electricity, water and free unconditional inclusive decolonized education funded by our natural resources, should be encouraged. Also education is key, for educated citizens and communities with higher education degrees report a higher level of employment, health and happiness. In fact, societies with a high rate of degree attainment have lower crime rates and higher rates of social welfare.

As Motsohi (2016) highlights; the International Labour Organization has pointed out that; “young men and women are among the world’s greatest assets. They bring energy, talent and creativity to economies and create the foundations for future development”, however Freedman stated; “without a stake in the system, [young people] are more likely to become alienated and engage in anti-social behaviour (Freedman, 2005:4). It is philosopher Aristotle that warned a thousand years ago that: “poverty breeds criminal behavior”. He meant to say that in politics poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.

Mathemetically, there is a direct relationship between crime and poverty. And it shall remain so and even grow worse for as long as people's lives remains unchanged and unchecked. 

* Matheus Pendapala Taapopi 


·        
       Sources;

           Namibian Police; Weekly Bulletins.
Retrieved from:  http://www.nampol.gov.na/web/nampol/crime-bulletin
·         Thabang Motsohi (2016).
Retrieved from: http://thoughtleader.co.za/thabangmotsohi/2016/07/29/tackle-inequality-vigorously-to-reduce-racism-and-other-social-pathologies/



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