The Middle-Class Crime Wave
FORGET the inner-city ghetto or the lawless council estate, if you’re looking for a crime wave then look no further than the leafy streets of middle-class Britain, where men carry sawn-off shotguns under their copy of the Guardian and women conduct drug deals in Waitrose’s less salubrious aisles.
According to research by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, two-thirds of middle-class people are wantonly breaking the law.
The researchers point to an “unrestrained pursuit of self-interest and profit” while Richard Gartside of the CCJS says, “This research demonstrates that volume crime is far more widespread, with the middle class being responsible for a wide range of illegal activities. The reasons for this are complex, and relate to the fundamental social changes in British society over the past 30 years.”
Tax evasion tops the rankings with 34 per cent of those surveyed admitting to striking “cash-in-hand” deals with builders and other tradesmen; 32 per cent said they keep the money when given extra change; 18 per cent admitted to stealing from work, usually stationary items.
In terms of the more serious offences, 11 per cent fail to pay their TV licence while seven per cent inflate insurance claims.
Still, it’s hardly Scarface, is it? Don’t expect Guy Richie’s new gangster flick (if he ever makes anything again) to be set in ‘Hell’s Bells’ Tunbridge Wells.
Posted: 25th, June 2007 | In: Money Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink
