by Gary Maclean

Created on: January 09, 2009   Last Updated: February 09, 2012

If a person becomes a criminal will he stay one? Are the rewards of being a criminal such that it is more appealing to conduct one's affairs illegally than it is to follow the simple rules established since the beginning of time? Can a life of crime be so fruitful as to lure some of our best citizens into it's snare? Is it true that once a criminal, always a criminal?

When I said "...becomes a criminal..." I did so because I don't think one mis-deed makes a criminal; it will take more consistent illegal behavior to qualify as a criminal. I believe the young child who steals a candy bar, gets caught, breaks out in a fit of fearful tears and shaking, has learned his lesson and his life of crime has been cut abruptly short. He is no criminal. He stole a candy bar, but he is no criminal. The Gramma who steals fruit from the "all you can eat" buffett and puts it in her purse for tomorrow's lunch at home is no criminal. The single Mom who takes a bottle of milk for her child, but conveniently forgets to pay for it is no criminal.

Don't just take the word "criminal" literally. Certainly, any of those situations involves a criminal act, stealing. But none of them involve a criminal. A criminal is someone who has experienced the excitement of doing something illegally and has gotten away with it. That rush of adrenaline keeps the "criminal" going back for more. This is someone who has actually gained by their evil deeds and intends to continue doing so.

The man who frequents convenience stores for the simple reason of sizing them up and deciding which one to re-visit to take what he can, that's a criminal. The family on public assistance who encourages their teenage daughters to have sex, get pregnant and have babies just so they can get a raise in their benefits, that's criminal. The multi-loser who is on his umpteenth time back to prison for drunken driving, that's a criminal.

So, having clearly defined criminal, are they destined to stay a criminal? We would hope not, that's for sure. No matter what answer you give here, it will be a generalization. I am going to say that, for the group of criminals in general, and this does not mean every one of them down to an individual, but for the overall general criminal population, yes, once a criminal - always a criminal.

It's not a good answer, but in all fairness, it's the only one. To say a criminal will always be a criminal does nothing to slam that individual either. I'm saying they will remain a criminal because their is little more to offer them in today's society. Once a person becomes mature enough in their chosen field of crime to actually be referred to as a criminal, they are hooked. One instance of shoplifting does not a criminal make, it's the guy who shoplifts something every single time he goes into the store just because he can. He is the criminal and he, more than likely, always will be.

With the rewards being what they are for the skilled criminal, he is going to stay doing what he does best. Of course, there will always be the individual success stories. There are many, I am certain, who have been able to pull themselves out of the rut they have plowed for themselves, but there are even more who have dug themselves deeper into that rut.

Yes, once a criminal, always a criminal. It is very unfortunate, but we, as a society, are not even equipped to help them out of their spiraling downward tumble. Those individuals that do successfully lift themselves up out of the depths of despair should be applauded.

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