The Invisible Root of Crime.

 

Daniel René Jiménez Cortés

Master’s degree MSPS & MEd (cand.)

Criminologist and Political-Criminal Analyst

Specialized in Intelligence Analysis and Security. 

Crime does not appear spontaneously, nor does it emerge overnight, and it cannot be explained solely by economic need or the lack of material opportunities. From a criminogenic perspective, crime is, above all, a process: a gradual construction shaped by social and psychological factors and, decisively, by formative and educational ones. And it is important to be clear from the outset: I am not talking about earning university degrees or achieving academic credentials; I am talking about education in its deepest sense—education grounded in values, boundaries, social awareness, and the capacity for self-regulation.

One of the most common mistakes is to automatically associate crime with a “lack of schooling.” Reality shows that there are highly educated individuals who break the law, just as there are people with little formal education who lead upright and exemplary lives. The difference lies in education as an ethical and psychological process, one that enables individuals to distinguish between what is useful for themselves and what is harmful to society.

Criminology explains that criminal behavior is rarely an isolated act. It is the result of a progressive normalization of certain behaviors: when “small deceptions” are justified, when harm to others is minimized, when blame is shifted onto someone else. When these patterns are not corrected early on, they become consolidated as habitual ways of relating to the environment. Crime then ceases to be seen as antisocial behavior and begins to be perceived as “just another way of living.”

The absence of values acts as a structural risk factor. Without an “internal compass,” social norms are interpreted as obstacles rather than as collective social agreements. The law, once a framework for coexistence, becomes negotiable, annoying, avoidable, or irrelevant. This disconnect between the individual and the community is one of the central cores of the criminal phenomenon.

Human beings are social, but they are also psychological. Living in society does not guarantee learning how to coexist. Education in values plays a fundamental preventive role, as it strengthens self-control, develops empathy, and enables the anticipation of consequences. Many criminal acts are not explained by “intentional evil,” but by an inability to consider the impact of an action beyond immediate benefit.

Here another frequently underestimated element comes into play: purposeless idleness. And I am not referring to rest; I mean the void that forms when there is no habit of reflection, reading, or personal development. This prolonged intellectual emptiness is fertile ground for risky behaviors. When life projects are absent, shortcuts become highly seductive. Crime always promises quick results, immediate recognition, and a momentary sense of control and power.

That is why reading is considered a formative tool of high impact. Reading does not only inform; it helps structure thought, broaden moral perspective, and strengthen situational analysis. Those who read develop a different relationship with time, frustration, and responsibility, because the ability to think in terms of “consequences” reduces the likelihood of antisocial behavior.

Talking about education and crime, then, does not mean pointing to a specific social sector. The lack of ethical formation cuts across all classes. There is visible crime and sophisticated crime, but both share the same logic: prioritizing individual benefit over collective harm. The forms and the characters change, but the substance and intentions do not.

It must also be said clearly: context influences, but it does not absolutely determine. Economic and social inequality contributes, deprivation has an impact, but basic values are recognizable even in adverse environments, since most people in society can recognize when an action harm others. Education reinforces this notion and turns it into a guiding principle of life for the individual.

Crime prevention should not begin with punishment; it begins with formation and education. It starts with the ability to choose what is right, to restrain oneself, and to cultivate one’s inner life. When education is absent, crime simply occupies the empty space—like an invisible root that grows stronger every day.

It seems we continue to forget that security is not built solely through the application of laws; it must be grounded in people educated to live in society.