It appears to me that most people are more interested in convincing others they are right, rather than accepting new information which might alter their existing beliefs. This structural chauvinism is so rampant as to be the primary underlying cause of wars, public policy disputes and perhaps even crime. As in litigation, both parties view the other side as evil, wrong, and completely without merit. When someone on one side goes too far, such as killing someone or planting a bomb, then the other side has a convenient, reactionary excuse to ignore its own past aggressions. Violence begets violence and a downward spiral of pain and suffering spreads like a metasticized cancer.
Crime is sort of in between political action and war.
Crime begins with inappropriate behavior in children, which is not dealt with early on. The idea of revenge, in particular, is the code by which street gangs assert their independence from society, while conforming to the ethics of their surrogate family. At the root of all these terrible conflicts is miscommunication, which stems from disrespect. It also means feeling good enough about yourself that you can tolerate this. Toleration is something rarely taught, though most people have a natural affinity for it as children.