I wish you would go into prisons and talk to inmates. I have been asked in the past and turned the offer down.
I don't think it works powerful speaking in the general sense. I think it may strike a chord and work wonders for some. But again it is all down to personal choice.
To be literally blunt and from my own experience I think many of the criminal fraternity are put off by the simplicity of the 9 to 5 life. I can't speak for everyone because criminals have their own agendas and it's a broad topic to look into.I think criminality in general, especially in this day and age is not for personal survival but more for status symbol. I think in this generation it is heavily influenced by the gangster rap. It's not like the early eighties when I was growing up. My first conviction in 1982 was for breaking into a shed to steal some tools what I know I could sell.
I honestly believe it is ingrained like you say from an early age. If you look at things from today's perspective what's more lucrative to a teenager with limited prospects? Break their back in some minimum wage job for low pay or deal drugs ?
We have become a materialistic keeping up with the Jones society. In so far as that I see criminality in general spiralling further out of control and only getting worse