In the podcast episode “Why I Steal,” from WNYC's show Death, Sex, Money, a woman by the name of Alice discusses her reasoning to shoplift. The main reason why she started was because her family was incredibly financially unstable, so she’d steal food and more necessary items. Eventually, this necessary stealing turned into bigger things such as stealing high end makeup or perfumes and selling them.

Along with people just needing food, or supplies, researchers are increasingly thinking that shoplifting is connected with mental illness. These illnesses could be anything from Compulsive and Addictive behaviors or even kleptomania, which is a persistent neurotic impulse to steal especially without economic motive. While there are approximately 6 out of 1000 people who suffer from this disease, that’s only an estimate of the true cases. Experts believe that this disorder may go unnoticed and even if they do get caught, they’ll just steal again. Without treatment, people are on the treadmill of stealing, incarceration, and back again. As a personal opinion, mental illness should not be dealt with by police,therapy and medication is most definitely an option. 

With these mental disorders and compulsive behaviors there may be better ways to deal with shoplifting. There are already medications to help stabilize the mind. But research hasn't  figured out any sort of rehabilitation services for those suffering with kleptomania or compulsive issues. However, I believe a program that effectively taught people to deal with their mental illnesses, then we could keep people out of jail unnecessarily.
What could Arkansas or anywhere else do about shoplifting, especially financially? In total the store, Walmart, loses about 3 billion dollars due to shoplifting a year. There could be many reasons for this, the most prevalent being for food. More specifically, meat. There are also instances of parents stealing diapers and formula. However,more locally, Employee David Modesto from the Walmart located in Jonesboro Arkansas states , “I’ve only seen about ten people shoplifting personally, it’s normally clothes. However I’ve also heard of baby clothes and formula being taken.”

Although massive chain stores may suffer, local businesses such as thrift stores, boutiques, and family owned shops completely rely on one or at most a few different locations for income. In this case, a local thrift shop called, “Going to the Dogs” located in Pocahontas Arkansas is a non-profit business, which you may not think to affect many, but this shop provides vouchers to spay and neuter for our community. Even though this is strictly to help others,there has still been shoplifting. To get a better understanding an employee at Going to the Dogs said.

“We have people that come in here and switch their shoes, I have to look at feet as people walk in now.”

Along with people just needing food,or supply, a lot of shoplifters are connected with mental illness. These illnesses could be anything from Compulsive and Addictive behaviors or even kleptomania, which is by definition; a persistent neurotic impulse to steal especially without economic motive. There are approximately 6 out of 1000 people who suffer from this disease, that’s what’s documented anyway. It is believed by many people that this disorder may go unnoticed and even if they do get caught, they’ll just steal again.

In conclusion, there are many things that lead to shoplifting. Although they’re all different, it is a problem and many businesses big or small lose billions every year. As a community and a planet there should be alternative options to punishing lifters. Along with that, be more educated on reasons why people may do this crime, not shun immediately.