Quote Originally Posted by BananaStand View Post
Use your google machine man. Find a map showing poverty in the US. Then find a map showing crime in the US. Superimpose one on top of the other and see what happens.
That shows association. I'm looking for something that shows that the poorer somebody becomes the more likely they are to commit crime due to having less skin in the game. My point that it probably is true that they have less skin in the game, but it may be by a small enough amount that it doesn't change their desire to commit crime.


It's not a straight mathematical equation as the perception of X (the cost of crime) can change based on environmental factors. For example, have you ever driven a busy highway where it seems like everyone is doing 15+ mph over the speed limit? This happens because everyone sees everyone else speeding, and they just keep up. The cost of crime (potential of getting pulled over) is low. However, if you were driving on that same road late at night with no one else on the road, you are far more likely to observe the speed limit.

This is actually contrary to safety concerns as you'd prefer to drive slower in congested traffic. The change in speed seems directly correlated to the likelihood of getting caught.
The variables integrate perception. In the situation you detail where drivers change behavior at time of day, their perception is that x<y.