Inequity is one factor that is cited as leading to apparently criminal behavior (Wakefield 2022). Inequity involves disproportionate access to resources as a result of social standing; Wakefield (2022) notes that this lack of resource access is what may lead some individuals to commit crimes. Further, Wakefield (2022) notes that marginalized groups are more likely to interact with the criminal justice system. Dewey and Prohaska (2021) also highlight the presence of inequity in incarceration rates; they note that less than half of the incarcerated men within their sample had jobs three years prior to incarceration. Further, the average annual earnings among this group were under $7,000, meaning a small portion of incarcerated men were employed and most were not making livable wages. While the existing literature suggested that inequity in general can be a factor in who commits crimes, specific inequities were described.
Before Incarceration, people in state prisons struggled disproportionately with unemployment and homelessness by the Prison Policy Initiative.
One of the inequities that was frequently discussed in the literature was family history (Dewey and Prohaska 2021; Wakefield 2022; Veysey et al. 2011; Giordano 2013; Wilkinson and Thompson 2022). Many individuals in the criminal justice system came from homes that were abusive, which required them to take on the role of parent for younger siblings or placed them in alternative housing (Dewey and Prohaska 2021). Wakefield (2022) notes that many of the individuals in the criminal justice system are part of a phenomenon known as the “victim-offender overlap”, which suggests that people who commit crimes are often also victims of crime. This would apply to people who are victims of child abuse and who later commit a crime.
Being placed in a foster care system or being responsible for younger siblings can lead education to become inaccessible. A lack of education can also lead to an individual committing a crime (Veysey et al. 2011). Thirty-seven percent of incarcerated individuals have less than a high school diploma or GED which is a significantly higher percentage than those who have not been incarcerated (Dewey and Prohaska 2021). Education is an intersectional inequity, such that a lack of access to education can lead to other inequities. For one, a lack of education can limit what jobs an individual is able to obtain. A lack of access to employment increases the likelihood that an individual will become involved in the criminal justice system (Dewey and Prohaska 2021; Veysey et al. 2011; Wakefield 2022).
Many people in state prisons grew up facing serious family, housing, economic, and educational exclusion by the Prison Policy Initiative.
A final common theme that appeared when looking at inequities that may lead to an individual being convicted of a crime was mental illness. This can be connected back to child abuse as a factor that can lead to an individual committing a crime, as childhood abuse can lead to trauma and other mental health problems. Even if someone is being proactive about their mental health, other factors like being homeless can lead to an individual’s involvement in the criminal justice system (Dewey and Prohaska 2021). When substance abuse is framed as addiction, under the disease model, it also falls under the mental illness framework (Giordano 2013). Mental illness can be linked to many of the other factors mentioned, like poor education and few connections to others, which may lead to crime (Wilkinson and Thompson 2022). Before moving on, it is important to note that many of the same inequities that lead an individual to commit a crime are the main focus of many of the rehabilitative practices, like education and treatment for substance abuse and mental health challenges.