Abstract
The purpose of this paper was to consider poverty with regard to violence and suicide. Considering anomie theory or inner impulse theory, poverty raises the probability of generating violence. However, it is possible to affect the direction of violence, according to some reports about child abuse, domestic violence, and crime. On the other hand, concerning suicide, its relation to economic fluctuation is explained theoretically. However, empirical research about the relation between suicidal behavior and shortage of social resources based on a socioeconomic situation is not consistent. Consequently, the following two features of poverty become clear: (1) it induces an inner state of mind which should be resolved to enable recovery, and (2) it deprives people of the opportunity to use the protective factors such as suitable exchanges in a family, use of support services, a stable living environment, and educational opportunities. Conversely, generating violence or suicide can be readily grasped by observing poverty. By advancing research from the viewpoint of the poverty as a niche, it is possible to understand factors which manage these social pathological phenomena.
