Is poverty or a hard life ever an excuse for a crime? If so, how? If not, why not?

Just because you’ve had a rough life does not justify your future or present actions the choices you make are the choices that will get you a better life or land yourself in prison. It’s like saying oh I was abused as a child and didn’t have a good role model well then chose to be a better person than you were raised seeing don’t abuse others physically, mentally, or emotionally the choices you make define who you are.