Page 149 - Once a copper 10 03 2020

It's not true that 'crime never pays' nor that 'the weed of crime bears bitter
fruit'. Not for everyone. Some people make a lot of money out of criminality
and get away scot free for a while to live what appears to be happy and
contented lives.

But that's not the way to live. In most long-term criminal enterprises, you have
two enemies: the law and your fellow criminals. Most people who become
'career criminals' end up inside and most of them only make intermittently
good money. Most of the profits from organised crime end up in the hands of
bosses (just like in industry) while the low levellers end up living with their
mothers and dreaming of the big score.

There's no sure way to get that good income, don't let anyone tell you there
is. And you also must accept the risks of arrest and imprisonment and the
casual violence with which the underworld enforces the dictates of the
higher up criminals on the lower.

It’s never worth it. Ill-gotten gains are temporary and short-lived. There’s no
real love, loyalty, respect, happiness, or hope. Only misery, fear, pain,
suffering, enslavement, and death. You make a lot of enemies and no true
friends. If you’re in a gang, you’re replaceable. Your gang will turn against
you if you’re a nuisance. You’ll be forgotten after you die and if you are
remembered, it’ll be in a very
negative light.

The criminal fraternity make
different, abhorrent choices to
the majority. With distorted
morality and a disregard for man-
made laws, they weigh up the
pros and cons of working for a
living, versus the easier pickings of
crime.
Figure 66 Most of society have a working moral compass
Thankfully, most of the society
have a working moral compass. Personally, if it offends my sense of morality,
no amount of fast-bucks could make me do it. There are so many more
creative and legitimate ways to earn money.

I wanted more opportunities to thwart the activities of more serious criminals.

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