How closely was criminal activity linked to economic circumstances in early modern England?

... How closely was criminal activity linked to economic circumstances in early modern England? The definitions of 'crime' and the 'criminal', and our preconceptions about them is a complex issue and must be touched upon when attempting to discern how closely crime and economic circumstance were linked in early modern England. Most modern thinking about crime is essentially an outcome of nineteenth century reactions to the novel social problems thought to be inherent in mass urbanisation and industrialisation. The majority today still think of crime - normally defined in terms of the more dramatic offences, such as crimes of violence, robbery, burglary, theft and prostitution - as typically "the prerogative of the urban slum dweller". The central element in this 'modern' outlook on crime, that it is essentially an activity carried out by the lower social groups, breaks down at two main points when applied to the early modern period. Firstly the

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