Show of Hands

I won't condone crime, but this is clearly written by somebody who's never experienced that level of poverty.

it's not that simple.

Not necessarily. If you're jailed, you don't have to work at all to acquire those things. Roof, 3 squares, library, doctor, gym, free tv, clean sheets,... Heck, you can even earn some dough while you're there!

It isn't always easy

Govt benefits do not provide people with meaning in their life. Every human desires meaning, to different degrees. Selling drugs, traveling on vacations and driving fancy cars is more fulfilling than sitting on your butt & eating mac and cheese.

I wouldn't use the word "foolish." There are more factors involved than purely lack of individual judgement and/or intelligence. It's understandable that poverty breeds violence. Poorer education and poorer environmental conditions result in fewer opportunities. The incentive to commit crime becomes higher when people lack sufficient income, as they don't the means to legally obtain material wealth and there is less to lose in risking jail time or being injured or killed. And, when immediate need is great, long term effects are less frequently considered- just as all stressful situations can impeded rational thinking.

I agree but the higher ups in gangs aren't living bad lives. They're rich. I heard a guy give a talk one time and said he was pulling 15k a night when he was like 14

I mainly posted this hoping someone can explain how poverty in first world countries can breed violence. It's idiotic imo. You'll either get yourself killed in a stabbing or shooting, or wind up in the prison system.