Most crimes have a pretty poor return on investment. That's why criminals tend to be poor.
For example, the people around criminals tend to know they are criminals (and criminals often brag about begin criminals). People don't trust criminals and don't want to do business with them - leaving the criminal with fewer legitimate options for making money.
Criminals tend to be poor because the types of things defined as crimes have poor risk reward profiles and only make sense if you’re poor. Fraudulently advertising OxyContin and causing a drug epidemic that kills half a million people doesn’t make you a criminal, it makes you a philanthropist — you have to pistol-whip a clerk at a liquor store to become a criminal.
Jesus, my guy. I “blame” commenters like yourself on HN for my exceptionally pessimistic and skeptical outlook on life and systems (and society)... but goddamn you have a point.
(PS: sorry about using “Jesus” and “guy” - it’s meant purely as an idiom - I’m not making assumptions)
Most people treated as criminals are poor because of the shape of wealth distribution, plus the fact that wealth is associated with the ability to have your behavior not treated as criminal when the same behavior from a poorer person would be treated as criminal.
For example, the people around criminals tend to know they are criminals (and criminals often brag about begin criminals). People don't trust criminals and don't want to do business with them - leaving the criminal with fewer legitimate options for making money.