Crime Rates Rationale

Increasing crime rate due to Poverty, with a focus on urban areas.
There is a well-established connection between poverty and crime, with multiple studies
demonstrating that people living in poverty have a higher likelihood of engaging in criminal
behavior. This connection is especially high in urban areas, where poverty rates are typically
higher compared to rural areas, and where the concentration of people living in poverty can
worsen the impact of poverty-related issues like poor housing, few job prospects, and inadequate
education.
According to Study.com (2022), Social disorganization theory in criminology states that

communities with high population turnover rates, diverse populations, and poverty are more
likely to experience high levels of crime due to weakened social bonds. Social disorganization
theory asserts that people's actions are more strongly influenced by the quality of their social
relationships and their physical environment rather than rational thought. Social disorganization
theory also challenges the assumption that people commit crimes as a result of free-willed and
rational decision-making. Instead, it argues that a lack of social bonds in a community is strongly
connected to increased criminal inclinations, which explains why crime is not spread evenly
across communities.
Another theory or concept is the Relative Deprivation is when people feel they are not getting a
fair share of resources compared to others in their community. This can happen in urban areas
where the gap between rich and poor is large. Poor communities may feel frustrated and angry
because they have limited access to basic resources like education, healthcare, and housing. This
feeling of injustice can lead to criminal behavior as people try to address their grievances or seek
retribution.
The relationship between poverty and crime has been a subject of research for decades. Poverty
is a major contributing factor to crime, particularly in urban areas where poverty is often
concentrated. In recent years, the Philippines has experienced an increase in crime rates, which
can be attributed, in part, to the rising levels of poverty in urban areas. One of the primary
reasons why poverty can lead to an increase in crime is the desperation it can create. Individuals
and families living in poverty often struggle to meet their basic needs such as food, water, and
shelter. This can lead them to engage in criminal activities such as theft, or robbery and to name
more of the crimes.
Urban areas in the Philippines are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of poverty and
crime, given the high population density and limited access to resources. In some cases, criminal
syndicates exploit the vulnerable conditions in urban areas to perpetrate crimes and recruit new
members. This further contributes to the increase in crime rates, and the cycle of poverty and
crime continues. The pandemic has worsened the poverty situation in the Philippines. According
to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the poverty incidence in the first half of 2020 rose to 23.7%
from 16.7% in 2018 (PSA, 2021). This highlights the urgency of addressing the link between
poverty and crime, particularly in urban areas.
Understanding the relationship between poverty and crime in the Philippines, with a focus on
urban areas, is crucial in order for us researchers to conclude how poverty can increase crimes
and what possible solutions we can create to help prevent the factor which contributes to the
increase of crimes and also in to help policymakers and stakeholders in developing effective
strategies to address these issues. By addressing the root causes of poverty such as
unemployment, limited access to education, and resources, policymakers can help alleviate the
desperation that can lead to criminal behavior. Additionally, by strengthening law enforcement
and increasing community involvement, authorities can help create a safer and more secure
environment for all citizens.
To better understand the relationship between poverty and crimes which increases crime rates,
we aim to examine the relationship between poverty and crime rates in urban areas, and
determine the extent to which poverty contributes to rising crime rates, to identify the specific
types of crimes that are most strongly associated with poverty in urban areas, and analyze the
underlying causes of these crime trends, to know why they commit crimes that increase the crime
rate in the specific area we researchers are focusing on, to conclude the total increase of crime
rate during the pandemic, to examine the factors like COVID-19 pandemic on poverty and crime
rates in urban areas, to know what is the reason why poverty is prevailing in such urban areas, to
study successful case studies of cities or regions that have effectively reduced poverty-related
crime in urban areas and facing similar challenges, and draw conclusions for the specific
community we researchers are focusing on.
Poverty and crime in urban areas are connected, as poverty can lead to criminal activity. When
people don't have access to things like jobs, social services, or affordable housing, it can create
an environment that encourages criminal behavior. We need to understand why poverty leads to
crime and which crimes are most related to poverty in cities. We can come up with the
conclusion on the increase of crime rates due to poverty to this current situation, especially
during the pandemic which affected the livelihood of the Philippines.

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Increasing crime rate due to Poverty, with a focus on urban areas.

According to Study.com (2022), Social disorganization theory in criminology states that

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