To think criminals are very common?

[ChicJoker]

I see lots of threads on here claiming moral high ground and pearl clutching for example about people not correcting large company’s on a billing mistake. All very tsk tsk tsk “that’s stealing” etc.

it got me thinking, I’m sure it’s dependent on your region but I don’t believe there’s a single person where I’m from that doesn’t either know or have a relation to a criminal in some way. If mums net was a true representation of the public, surely criminals would be shunned from communities and the holier than thou would reign free.

where I’m from, everybody, and I do mean everybody - either knows someone directly or are themselves involved in illegal activity in some way. Even if it was historically. It’s astoundingly common. Anyone who claims otherwise is either lying or incredibly naive.

what are your thoughts? How do the whiter than white cope in life? FWIW there’s absolutely not a chance on this earth I’d correct for example Tesco on sending me a free online shop by mistake. I’d actually find it more morally inferior TO correct them.

Interesting definition.

Rubbing shoulders and knowing are different things.

I don't think anyone will be surprised that some wealthy people are involved in crime

But you were claiming that everyone in a city you lived in was involved in crime. Everyone is not involved in crime!

Okay to give more of a spectrum as I seemed to have gone down drugs route off the top of my head I know people (know as in I could contact them directly) guilty of the following

cash machine robbery’s
car robbery’s
countless drug dealers
money laundering
murder
fraud
prostitution
blackmail
firearms offences
countless assaults
countless driving offences
assisting an offender

these have all been convicted and have spent or are spending time currently.

god knows what else.

but I also know to call right now

consultants and surgeons
barristers
solicitors
directors
doctors
nurses
scientists/researchers
social workers
very successful entrepreneurs
pilots
police officers
deacons

Most of whom in my family. so no I don’t think it depends on social circles

What’s yours?

How can you possibly know?

I kind of agree, I’m a very law abiding citizen, dad was a police officer growing up, I’ve never done drugs, never stolen anything, never been in a fight, I did once accidentally drive 36 mph in a 30 and had to do a speed awareness course but that’s as rebellious as I’ve got and event I know people who are criminals.. they aren’t my friends or family, but I do know them, mainly it’s a couple of my friends partners who I know have dealt drugs, my husband has a few hometown friends from his school days who have been done for drink driving, and one who’s been done for assault. So, not people that I hang around with but people that I know in some capacity

Just to say I don't think knowing criminals or being related to criminals is a good thing - I'm NC with my dad, not because he's a criminal primarily but he's not a good person and I am very glad he was at least convicted of one crime (not in the UK). I think what I'm trying to say is knowing or being related to someone like a dealer, robber etc was just a fact. They're normal people with family and friends.

If you expanded criminals to drug users (I don't personally) then I do know a lot of criminals now as well. Coke is rife where I live sadly and quite normalised - weed too but then I'm pro legalisation on that one

I know a highly regarded businessman … who is off to prison for fraud

Perhaps depends if they get to know them well enough to find out, while rubbing said shoulders. I’m sure most of us have without knowing. I worked in forensic custodial care with serious offenders, and often bumped into ex-clients 'on the out’ just being normal. As per another recent thread, I have committed a serious offence myself (though not one with any victims, whether direct or indirect). I don’t tell people when we rub shoulders.

Your "social circle" is just another way of describing the people you mix with.

Your social circle is full of convicted criminals.

My social circle is not.

Maybe you know a lot of people. I suppose you do if you knew everyone in the city you lived in...

I agree. Criminals are so very common!

What type of criminal? I don’t think I know anyone unless they don’t tell me

Know what?

Quick, Bucket, you’re needed on another thread. Some workman’s poo wouldn’t go down, and people are talking nonsense about sticks, knives and bleach.

My post 21:13

I remember reading something that a third of men had some sort of conviction. I dont know if its true, but thats just people caught.

But surely you don't think there are lots of people like you? Most people would never have considered shoplifting as a teen, never mind having a steal to order business.

Do you have memory issues?

Or maybe you remember reading it halfway through this thread...

It's true, sort of.

Quite a lot of things count as criminal offences, which quite a lot of people wouldn't think should necessarily be criminal offences. Tax issues, shoplifting, cautions for doing "stupid" stuff . . . .

Did you know that checking someone's phone without their consent was a criminal offence?

Look up the rules around "hate crime", it will make you think you've stepped into some parallel universe.

It's very easy to commit a criminal offence. And men are more likely to step across the threshold than women are.

😂

Yeah, you accidentally commit one tiny hate crime and suddenly you're a criminal!

Stephen Fry went to jail as a young man for credit card fraud and he’s terribly common.

It wasn't for a hate crime in my case, but there was no victims with what I did and I am still classed as a criminal according to this thread and the law I guess. Like I said I have stuff on my DBS that will never be filtered off.

I totally get where you’re coming from, a lot of posters on here are shockingly naïve.