Industrial capitalism dehumanizes poor people and makes them out to be the bad guy. In myths, they are given moral flaws and deviant cultures and attitudes to make them less and less appealing. These other people, poorer people, are seen as different from normal citizens. They are seen as a threat to normal, civilized society since they are seen as criminals, violent, and with moral lapses of judgment. Industrial capitalism has created this culture were the impoverished are removed from society, showing them as damaged people more likely to commit crimes. Poverty was explained as a pathological behavior of the individual and the culture of the poor. It is said that their life of crime stems from the poverty pathologies of broken families, isolation, lack of a male presence, flawed characteristics, and weak egos. Judith Goode determines that the explanation of poverty comes from the assumed descriptions of poor people’s behaviors.
Philippe Bourgois sets up the Spanish Harlem, El Barrio, in East Harlem, New York. He explains that the impoverished are at the heart of the city. Based off his location, he could step five feet out of his door and be within possession of various types of illegal drugs and alcohol. He places his beliefs of the relationship between crime and poverty in the underground economy. The impoverished young men and women could make much more money by selling illegal substances then traveling downtown to obtain entry-level jobs. This underground economy supplies their workers with the money they need to buy necessities. Often alienated in factory jobs, joining the underground economy became the best option.
The link between poverty and crime is dependent on many other factors. The factors include home life, money, transportation. Behaviors do not make one poor. Behaviors that the poor have to result to make one a criminal. The link is determined by how one decides to deal with poverty, can they step away and make a better living for themselves or do they follow the lead of others and join in on what might be an easier option?
