The Great Depression: The Rise of Crimes and Discrimination

“The Great Depression starting in 1929, was a horrific event of crimes, loss, and total downgrading of the country.” (“Crime 1920-1940”). This period named The Great Depression was a blend of the Stock Market crash, a storm called the Dust Bowl, and the crime/discrimination that followed. Once the Dust Bowl hit and the stock market crashed many people were left without common necessities of life which put people in a state of pure panic or viciousness. “Common crimes were described as bootlegging, discrimination, suicide/murder, theft, and gambling.” (Lawrence). Racism even skulked into courtrooms causing one of the most famous cases during that era “The Scottsboro Boys.”(“The depths of the Great Depression”).Crimes and discrimination skyrocketed during the Great Depression in many different ways including: Bootlegging, Racial-crimes and Gambling.

Before the Depression started the most popular money making crime was bootlegging. It was a risky business selling or even obtaining alcohol during the prohibition with police always on your tail. “From household families to notorious gangsters bootlegging was a hard way to make a stable living.”(Crime 1920-1940).” “Canada and Mexico were the 2 sources that alcohol would be smuggled into the United States from.”(“Crime 1920-1940”). Bootlegging split people into two groups the ones who were for bootlegging and the people who hated it. “It started to affect Sales in 1933 when the 18th amendment was repealed.”(“Crime 1920-1940”). Bootlegging affected certain families that had a member who did drink or who sold alcohol illegally.

Racism spiraled out of control even by infecting courts with racism. “The Scottsboro boys were 9 boys who were riding a train when they ran into trouble with women dressed as boys.” (“The Depths of the Great Depression”). “The two women dressed as boys accused the boys of rape”(The Depths of the Great Depression) even though nothing sinister happened. “The boys were taken into court in Scottsboro, Alabama with an all-white jury”(“The Depths of the Great Depression”) which doomed them. “Even though significant evidence was provided to prove they were not guilty, 8 out of 9 were given the death sentence.”(“The Depths of the Great Depression”). Racism and hard times mixed and eventually overpowered the power of honesty.

During the great depression crime was used in horrific ways (suicide) and in means of fun (gambling). “The popular decision in crime during that time would be to take your life/someone else’s life or have fun with gambling and robbing people, stores, and banks.”(Lawrence). Though there was no importance of crime then there is now because it’s important to show us the effects on people that lose everything at once. Banks have used past robberies of other banks to make them more secure than ever and more people seek help instead of taking their own life/someone else’s. Though major crimes died down during the Depression some of the most famous crimes rose up along with small menial crimes that nobody would notice.

The mix of these crimes made the Great Depression less and less bearable every day. Bootlegging tore families apart over money or just the thought of crime. Racism increased during this period due to loss-making people forget the importance of peace. Gambling was a problem before, then, and now which led to the financial loss that could have even led to suicide. The effect of losing everything at once on people was drastic from making other people pay with their life or their own. Overall the Depression affected each person in a different way causing people to commit different crimes.

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