Quote Originally Posted by thir View Post
Or else you do not have any other way.
Not being able to think of a way out of your problems does NOT justify performing criminal acts which cause OTHER people problems.

I am baffled by this in some ways - don't you realize that 'the criminals' are all of us? We could ALL commit crime, depending on circumstances. What's with all this self-rightousness?
To a certain extent you're right, anyone could commit a crime, given the right circumstances. Most of us wouldn't commit a violent crime, at least, unless the circumstances were dire. But the large majority of those sent to prison commit crimes of opportunity! They see the chance to get something they want and they take it, with no regard for the consequences. They generally only show remorse when they are caught.

But there is so much other crime which is at least understandable - provocation, need, stupid temptation, thoughtlesness - the criminals are mostly ordinary people who do something wrong. Apart from the hard core ones.
It's hard to think of a provocation to commit a violent crime. Someone calls you a name so you shoot him? Sorry! Not understandable to me. Need, yes. I can understand, if not necessarily condone, a parent stealing food or money to feed her children. But if that same parent attacks an innocent victim my understanding goes right out the window.

Ever watch those bait car programs, where the cops leave a car unlocked with the keys inside? I'm generally fascinated, repulsed, angry, in varying combinations, by the attitudes of those stealing the cars. They KNOW they're doing wrong (many will make a conscious effort to prevent leaving fingerprints), yet they think they are somehow justified in stealing someone else's property - until they get caught! THEN they're remorseful. If someone is old enough to actually drive a car and still hasn't learned that it's NOT okay to steal, I have to wonder if perhaps prison might be the best thing to teach them.