Credit lenders need to be held accountable for more than our economic woes

 Unemployment is a factor in some crime as lack of money leads to financial worries which can make a person desperate enough to consider taking risks that under normal circumstances they would never contemplate.  Because of this it is commonly believed that poorer people are more likely  to commit crime but a business man with a large mortgage, flashy car and an image to uphold may be in more desperate straits than a bartender living in a bedsit.

People brought up in what's labelled as 'broken homes with bad role models to look up to' are considered generally to be more likely to turn to crime than those from financially better off, 'traditional' families. What needs to be taken into consideration is that quite often, the reason for family break-ups is to do with financial difficulties. The blame for this does not belong solely with the people finding themselves wallowing in a sea of debt. Banks dishing out 100% mortgages, credit card companies increasing spending limits at the drop of a hat, and credit lenders in general throwing money at people and demanding huge amounts of interest in return, must all shoulder the responsibility also.

Of course, there are plenty of people who turn to crime for other reasons and most people deal with their problems without ever considering doing anything unlawful. But sometimes, when a person feels desperate they may turn to any means in order to survive.

The institutes that have brought the world economy to its knees have done more than that. They have destroyed lives. Even now, they resist pressure to lend to small businesses while eagerly taking tax payers money to prop up their own establishments. What a pity they weren't slower before now to give huge mortgages to couples with no savings. Have they learnt their lesson? Not likely.