How do criminals and people get so caught up in crime they can not get out of it ?

They have psychological issues where the part of their brain that controls their rational thinking is just a bit “off” I think they are in survival mode when they rob banks. Probably don’t hold a job and see the banking world as a system/machine they get to screw over.

“It’s not human and I’m not killing anyone, therefore no body gets hurt, plus the bank rips people off anyways and their stock won’t be affected”
-Buddy Newsom (I made him up)

They’re idiots or they’re desperate or they’re bat-shit crazy.

Lack of proper education in moral values, early in life; inability to empathise with the victims, often as emotional literacy lacking; tight mental circles of desperation and lack of imagination. It’s sad, very, very sad.

I think it’s a matter of opportunity + circumstances. If a person is in a set of circumstances where breaking a law would be beneficial to his well being, and it outweighs the risk of being caught, and the opportunity presents itself – BOOM. Crime. Once that threshold has been crossed, it’s easier to cross the next time and go a bit further, and the justification becomes easier to make, as well. Remove opportunities/temptations, and I don’t think most people would commit crimes. It’s why police presence and financial regulation are such effective deterrents.

it’s the movies.

Habit. If crime is all they know, they keep doing it.

Greed and laziness. Some people want a big buck for doing little work.

Expectations. They hang around people who do crime and they are expected to participate.

What @Judi said. You’re watching movies. The “can’t break out” theme sets the drama, just like it did in old mob movies: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” For two hours, no one’s “real” life is that interesting.

We have a close family friend (over 21) who was charged and convicted of Rape 3rd for having consensual sex with a girl 10 days before her 17th birthday. (In NY, anyone under 17 is not capable of giving consent.) He went to prison for a short while, was let out early for good behavior. As part of his probation, he cannot use a computer because he and his girlfriend communicated via FB. He cannot leave the county without getting permission from his PO. He cannot be near (1000 ft? 1200ft?) a school or shopping mall. He cannot take adult education classes without violating the school distance rules. Every week he has to meet with the PO to check in. That takes hours during the day. On another day of the week he must meet with counselors. That blows another morning.
He is finding it very difficult to get on with life. He is a convicted felon. Would you hire him?
Fortunately his old employer and friends supported him while he was in. The old employer immediately hired him back but his schedule causes problems for the employer as well has him.
No wonder criminals go back to a life of crime. They have to eat, pay rent, pay heat bills, buy gas for the car. What would you do?

Lack of Education would be my #1 answer, I believe many get caght up and in a shrt time fall into debt for more often than not durg reasons, than others have something to hold over their heads… before they know it their lives are no longer their own.. and they get all caught up in some bad spider’s web..

I’m not entirely sure why…bad products of one’s environment, psychological problems, bad conditioning…the reasons are many, (and some not as typical as the examples which I’ve listed) and one must certainly look at all the different crimes that exist and to who they seem to cater (IF all crimes cater to a specific type of person) and then the reasons that fuel the crimes.
Looking at real life based on what you see in movies probably isn’t the best approach in understanding crime and why it happens.

I do admit though, the life of being a gangster’s gal in the twenties and being all hot in a speakeasy seems appealing. Lol.

There are many different reasons and people who commit crimes come from all environments, socio-economic and intellectual backgrounds. Before my son went to prison, I tried to help him get a job so I woke him up one morning at 7am to walk with me (I was on my way to work)to the ATM machine, so I could give him money to job hunt. He began to laugh hysterically and when I questioned what was so funny, he said “why are all these people out here so early!” I was floored. I said “Son, they are all on their way to work and school”, he began to laugh even harder. Three months later he was in jail for 3 counts of robbery and assault. Now if someone on the outside met my son they would argue that he probably came from an abusive, neglectful home with uneducated parents, etc. Nothing could be furthest from the truth. He was walked to school everyday. enjoyed home cooked meals ¾ times a day, Boy Scouts, fresh air fund, given love and guidance and was very sheltered from bad elements ( I didn’t even allow TV if it wasn’t educational), etc. What it all boils down to is that no matter what, we can never really determine why someone does and thinks the way they do.

It’s the lure of free and easy money that drives them to it.

@SQUEEKY2….or desperation. See my answer above.