Identify With The Criminal

The news has endless stories of crimes and identifying with the victim comes naturally, however, doing so with the criminal can make protagonists in our stories stronger. Why did someone steal hospital equipment? Was it only greed or a desparate act? What led to their greedy nature? What led to the desperation? Humanizing them and blurring the black and white into several greys, will make any prose richer and more thoughtful. Read and listen to the reports differently. It doesn't minimize the crime, it strengthens our characterization abilities.