How to Avoid Becoming a Criminal

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 12, 2023 References

Many people are tempted to commit crimes. You might not have a job, or you might be in financial trouble and feel stealing is the solution. In some situations, other criminals (like gang members) are your only family, so you fall into the lifestyle. However, there are steps you can take to avoid becoming a criminal. You should complete your education and find employment, addressing any financial or substance abuse issues along the way. If you are a teen, you can try to find a mentor and take other steps. Furthermore, you should avoid becoming an accessory to a crime by aiding or abetting criminal behavior.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Turning Your Life Around

1
Avoid criminals. Unfortunately, the more you associate with criminals, the more likely you are to commit crime. Try not to fall in with a bad crowd, such as gangs. It will be easier to live a clean life when you surround yourself with people who are living the same.
- Meet people at churches, schools, or at community centers. It may be difficult to introduce yourself to a new set of people, but the hardest step is the first.
- You can meet people online. But it is best to develop “real life” relationships. A network of good friends can provide emotional support during stressful times in your life.
2
Deal with peer pressure. People you know might pressure you to commit crime with them. It's important to stand your ground and refuse to participate. This can be difficult. However, you can plan ahead of time for how you can deflect the pressure.
- Casually say, “Nah, I don't want to” or “You know, I've got to go.” Keep your voice level but speak clearly. If they won't stop bothering you, walk away.
- If you can't leave, quickly change the subject. Say, “Hey, let's play a video game instead” or mention another activity you think your peers might be interested in.
- Make sure to avoid these people in the future.
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3
Complete your education. The best way to avoid crime is to set healthy goals for yourself and to work toward them. Increasing your education should be a high priority. If you haven't earned a diploma, you should return to school.
- In the U.S., you can earn a GED (General Equivalency Development) diploma by taking a series of tests. The tests cover reading, math, writing, science, and social studies.^{[1]
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- Also consider getting more education past high school. For example, people with an associate degree in the U.S. earn about $500,000 more over the course of their lives than people with only a high school diploma.^{[2]
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4
Get a job. A good way to avoid crime and gangs is to find a job. You might find it difficult to work if you don't have your high school diploma, which is why you should make completing your education a top priority.
- There are many resources for people seeking employment. In the U.S., your state should have a job bank you can search.^{[3]
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  Trustworthy Source
  USA.GOV
  Official website for the United States federal government
  Go to source} You can find links to state job banks here: http://www.careeronestop.org/JobSearch/FindJobs/state-job-banks.aspx.
- If you are 16-24 and trying to enter the job market, you can visit the GetMyFuture website.^{[4]
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  CareerOneStop
  Online resource sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor providing information on job training, employment opportunities, and careers
  Go to source} It has information on writing resumes, finding jobs, and finishing your education. They also have information on addiction recovery and finding financial help.
- Remember that your first job is not your last job. Instead, it is an opportunity to build skills and show future employers that you are responsible and reliable. Any work is important enough to do well, so maintain a positive attitude.
5
Fix your finances. You might be tempted to commit a crime because of financial difficulties. It is very easy to steal money from people when you are feeling financial stress. You might convince yourself that you'll return the money once you get back on your feet. But stealing is always wrong.
- Assess your financial situation. Figure out why you are financially stressed. Are you overspending? Have you suffered a bout of unemployment? You can't tackle your financial difficulties until you identify the root cause.
- Make a budget. If you overspend, identify the reasons why. Some expenses are fixed, such as insurance and rent. But you can cut other inessentials, like Netflix or meals out.
- File for bankruptcy. You can get rid of unsecured debts like credit cards, payday loans, and medical debt through bankruptcy. It isn't an ideal solution, but it is better than turning to a life of crime.
6
Control your anger. Many people commit violent crimes because they can't control their anger. Anger is normal. However, acting violently because you are angry is not. Seek out anger management courses or learn other methods for living productively with anger.
- You can meet with a licensed mental health professional to learn how to manage your anger.^{[5]
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  American Psychological Association
  Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
  Go to source} If money is tight, talk to a school guidance counselor or stop into a public health clinic and ask what resources are available.
- If you can't afford counseling, you should adopt different strategies for handling your anger. Practice relaxation by breathing deeply and repeating calming words or visualizing relaxing images.
- Also use different language when you talk to yourself. Avoid “always” and “never.” Instead, focus on how your problems are challenges to overcome. For example, you can think, “This sucks. But getting angry won't help me solve this problem. And I can solve it if I take some time to think this through.”
7
Seek treatment for substance abuse. Almost 80% of all crimes involve drugs and alcohol. When you are drunk or high, you lose the ability to think rationally and may engage in risky behavior that can harm yourself and others. Accordingly, you should seek treatment.
- You can find help for addiction by talking to a doctor.
- In the U.S., you can also call 1-800-662-4357.^{[6]
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  National Institute on Drug Abuse
  Agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services devoted to researching drug and drug abuse and educating the public
  Go to source} Or you can look for treatment centers online at: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Getting Help as an At-Risk Youth

1
Identify at-risk youth. Very few children will grow up to join gangs or become criminals. However, there are common red flags you should be aware of. For example, risk factors for violence at age 15 include the following:^{[7]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}
- substance use before age 12
- general criminal offenses, including non-violent offenses such as extortion or burglary
- physical aggressiveness
- parents who are criminals
- poor school performance
- isolation from other children, including being victimized by them
2
Intervene in bad family situations. It's no secret that an unstable home life can contribute to anti-social behavior. Families can be wracked by violence or by emotional abuse, which can affect you even if you are not directly abused. Spend some time thinking about how you can change the situation.
- For example, you can intervene in physical violence by reporting the abuse to the police. You can also help a parent by sharing with them information about how to leave a domestic partner. Share literature from a domestic violence shelter or the phone number to a helpline. Remember not to confront an abusive person directly. Instead, encourage the abused parent to leave.
- Often, people in emotionally-abusive relationships do not benefit from commands to leave their abusive partners. Avoid statements that begin with “You must” or “You should.” Because emotional abuse is often linked with substance abuse, you can instead educate about the benefits of treatment and provide information.^{[8]
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3
Find mentorship opportunities for youth. Mentoring has been shown to improve self-esteem and academic performance while reducing substance abuse, aggression, and delinquency.^{[9]
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Research source} You should look for a mentor by finding a nearby program.
- Search online for mentoring programs. Some states will have lists of mentors available. For example, Mass Mentoring provides a list of mentoring programs in Massachusetts.
- Your city or county government might also coordinate youth mentoring. Stop in and ask.
- Talk with your pastor, doctor, or your school's guidance counselor and ask if they know of mentoring programs nearby.
4
Seek out diversion programs. When teens commit crime, pre-trial diversion or intervention is often available. These programs direct youth away from the formal criminal justice system toward treatment or community-based support.^{[10]
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Research source} Participating in a diversion program can keep you out of jail and allow you to obtain needed skills.
- For example, a diversion program might provide mental health treatment, crisis intervention, and family counseling.
- You can also obtain educational services, tutoring, and job training skills.
- Talk to your lawyer or your parents about whether diversion programs are available.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Refusing to Become a Criminal Accessory

1
Identify how you can become an accessory to a crime. When you help a criminal, you can generally be convicted of the same offense. Accordingly, you should realize how you can become a criminal accessory. Although each state and nation's laws are different, the following elements typically apply:^{[11]
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- A person committed a felony, such as murder, rape, robbery, burglary, etc. This person is called the “principal.”
- You hid or otherwise aided the principal.
- You knew the principal had committed the felony (or been charged) when you helped them.
- You helped the principal with the intent of helping them avoid arrest.
2
Don't hide a criminal. You clearly are an accessory when you hide a criminal after the commission of the crime.^{[12]
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Research source} Accordingly, don't let someone into your house if you know they have a warrant out for their arrest.
- “Hiding” encompasses a wide range of behavior. It isn't limited to driving the criminal to a different state or country. Instead, letting someone sleep in your home for the night can qualify as “hiding.”^{[13]
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3
Avoid handling suspected stolen goods. If someone stole goods, you can become an accessory by handling or hiding them.^{[14]
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Research source} Remember to ask someone where they got their goods, especially when they are expensive goods like televisions, computers, or jewelry.
- Use skepticism. If someone without much money asks you to store a giant HD television, ask where it came from.
- Unless you are 100% sure the goods are legitimate, refuse to store them. Say, “We don't have the space. I'm sorry.”
4
Decline to hide instruments used in a crime. You also can become an accessory by destroying or hiding evidence of a crime. This evidence includes weapons or even communications.^{[15]
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- For example, someone might have stolen from your boss by fudging certain sales figures. If you destroy the figures or change them, you could be guilty of “obstruction of justice."
5
Don't give a criminal money. Giving a principal money also makes you an accessory, because the principal can use the money to buy a plane ticket or a hotel room to hide in.
- Also avoid letting them borrow property, such as your car. A principal could use it to flee.
6
Avoid sharing helpful information with criminals. You can be charged as an accessory when you provide a criminal information that allows them to evade the police. For example, you might call and tell a criminal that the police have been searching for them. This tip could make you criminally liable as an accessory.
- Don't talk to anyone who you know has an arrest warrant out for them. Also avoid anyone you suspect has engaged in criminal conduct.
- If you do talk to them, you should encourage them to surrender to the police.
7
Answer police questions honestly. If you lie to the police, you are also committing a crime. Accordingly, always tell the truth when answering police questions about criminal activity. Remember that honesty is your best policy.
- Give the police any information that will help them find and arrest a criminal, including information about where the criminal is located.^{[16]
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- If you actually did help a criminal escape, then refuse to talk to the police and call a criminal defense attorney instead.

Community Q&A

Question

Am I breaking the law if I was creeping out the person who harassed me?

Community Answer

Creeping someone out is not against the law, unless you mean you were stalking them or harassing them in return. If you're being harassed, simply notify the appropriate authority - your boss, teacher, the police, etc. Let them handle it.
Question

What should I do if the criminal is threatening me with police action?

Community Answer

Since you know about the criminal, you have the right to report them for their crimes instead of yours.
Question

What if I live in a really bad area where criminality is the only way to survive?

Community Answer

You will still have to do your best to stay clean and out of trouble even if you live in an area with a high crime rate. If you have enough money, consider moving to a safer neighborhood. Or, get involved in cleaning up your own neighborhood by introducing things that the community can do together like a men's shed, a guerrilla craft group, community gardening, repair cafes, grant-writing workshops, activist training, etc. It is much better to get involved in what is good than to go along with the option of falling into what is bad.