Final answer:
The lower class becomes targeted in crime due to poverty, income inequality, and systemic biases. Lack of resources and limited social mobility often lead individuals in low-income communities to criminal activities. The media and lenient legal punishments for the wealthy also contribute to an unfair targeting of the lower class.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lower class often becomes a target in crime due to several interconnected factors. Among them, poverty, income inequality, and systemic issues like racism have significant roles in increasing crime rates. Poorer communities often lack access to quality education, stable jobs, and face higher levels of stress and health issues, leading some individuals to engage in illegal activities as a means of survival. Moreover, societal structures and laws can sometimes be biased towards the privileged, exacerbating these conditions and facilitating a cycle where low-income individuals face harsher legal repercussions.
Poverty can lead to crime because individuals struggling to meet basic needs may resort to theft, drug trafficking, or other illegal means to survive. This is prevalent in regions where poverty and inequality are rampant, such as in certain inner-city neighborhoods or developing countries experiencing social unrest. The lack of social mobility and stable employment contributes to this issue.
Neighborhoods with high income variability, ethnic diversity, and residential mobility typically struggle to establish collective social control, which can increase crime rates. Conversely, in wealthier, homogenous neighborhoods with stable populations, residents tend to uphold shared norms and protect their communities. Additionally, the media's portrayal of crime often creates an exaggerated fear of crime among the public, further stigmatizing lower-income communities.
Finally, the legal system can differ in how it punishes crime based on socio-economic status. For instance, wealthy individuals or celebrities sometimes face less severe legal consequences for their crimes compared to those with little social and economic power.