It's not so much about class but whether or not your already a felon. Most of the arrests you see on those shows are people out on parole or with massive rap sheets.
Going from no criminal record to your first is a huge change of circumstance vs getting another incremental charge. I shouldn't have used the word middle class as it distracts from the core dynamic at play.
Once you're arrested and with a serious conviction on record it's difficult to dig out from that hole. If you end up in prison--for whatever reason--it's basically college for being a criminal because there is not even the facade of rehabilitation. When you get out all you get is the desire to not end up back in prison, but with the socialization and lack of skills that makes it easy.
Don't use those TV shows as a reflection of reality--they're as real as any other reality TV show, which is to say it's an incredibly distorted version of reality.
Isn't arrest even bigger deal to someone on parole and dependent on not being arrested to not go back to prison? I get that it is "bad guy", but there are possible very real consequences for that person.
Going from no criminal record to your first is a huge change of circumstance vs getting another incremental charge. I shouldn't have used the word middle class as it distracts from the core dynamic at play.