Do hard economic times directly lead to worsening crime rates, morality, behavior, drugs, etc?

Yes, I think so because everybody can not handle poverty well. For example, if a family is just getting by when the price of gas is 2 a gallon but now gas is almost 4 a gallon how are they supposed to go to work and other important places. They are not making anymore money so they go out and make a way to make more money. It is easy 4 people to say what they will and will not do but all of that goes down the drain when you r looking at ur children cry because they are hungry. U do whatever u have to do to feed them!!!!