THE IMPACT OF POVERTY IN CONTRIBUTING FURTHER IN THE INCURRING CRIMINOLOGY IN QUEZON CITY

Abstract

Poverty is widely recognized as a fundamental driver of criminal behavior, affecting both individual decisions and broader social structures. In Quezon City—one of Metro Manila’s most populous and economically diverse areas—the link between poverty and crime has become an increasing concern. While the city includes affluent neighborhoods, it also encompasses many low-income communities where residents struggle with significant economic challenges. These disparities, combined with limited access to quality education, healthcare, and employment, create conditions where crime may be perceived as a viable means of survival. Viewed through a criminological lens, this study explores the intricate relationship between poverty and crime in Quezon City, aiming to raise public awareness and support policies that advance social justice, equality, and sustainable poverty reduction—ultimately fostering safer and more equitable communities. This study employed a descriptive research design. As explained by Nassaji (2015), descriptive research aims to describe a phenomenon and its characteristics, commonly utilizing observation and surveys as data collection tools. In quantitative research using this design, data analysis often involves frequencies, percentages, averages, and other statistical methods to examine the phenomenon. In this study, the descriptive design was applied to collect data from community residents and police officers in Quezon City. The results section presents tables, analysis, and interpretation of the data gathered by the researchers. It includes the demographic profile of the respondents, responses to survey questions, and the statistical treatments applied in the study. Most respondents were aged 26–30, female, college graduates, and employed. Their assessment of the impact of poverty on contributing to crime in Quezon City was interpreted as “Strongly Agree” in terms of awareness, community participation, and community satisfaction. The most commonly encountered problem related to poverty’s impact on crime was that “community members were not fully involved in the campaign activities.” To address this issue, respondents proposed measures such as using social media, local radio, and house-to-house information drives to reach a wider audience and encourage greater community participation.