IntroductionNed Kelly is known as Australia's most famous bushranger. Born in Beveridge Australia in December 1854, Ned's father died when he was just 12 and as a result he dropped out of school to start supporting his family of 12. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Ned Kelly is a victim because the police were corrupted against him and led him into a world of crime, he was wrongly accused of murder and only fought or killed when necessary and he grew up in a poor and discriminated against family. Ned Kelly was an abused victim, targeted by corrupt police who forced him to become an outlaw. The Vintage News states that "young Kelly witnessed police harassment as members of his family were often targeted as usual suspects due to their association with crime." Furthermore, Ned's father had already had dealings with the law, causing Ned to be charged with crimes long before he became a criminal. BBC News stated that "If Kelly stood trial today and had adequate legal representation, he would never have been convicted of murder because he acted in self-defence." This shows that Ned's sentence was unfair and poorly judged. Ned Kelly is definitely a victim because the police brought him into a world of crime and were corrupt against him. Ned Kelly was wrongly accused of murder and only fought or killed when necessary. During the Stringybark Creek incident Ned killed 3 police officers, but in his defense he was protecting himself. Page 29 of the Jerilderie Letter states: "This cannot be called voluntary manslaughter because I was forced to shoot them or to lie down and let them shoot me..." This means that Ned Kelly acted only in self-defense and that he was forced to shoot the police officers before they did the same to him. This is proof that Ned Kelly is a victim because he was accused of wrongdoing and harshly convicted for acting in self-defense. Finally, Ned Kelly is a victim because he grew up in a poor Irish family that suffered discrimination. They were a disadvantaged and selective family who were seriously discriminated against for this reason. “They claim Ned Kelly was a victim of his circumstances. He lived in a society of inequality between rich and poor... Irish Catholics and English Protestants.' (The Age, 2003) This means that Ned lived in a world of discrimination and shows that he was judged based on his financial situation and nationality. Many difficulties would have resulted from this discrimination and this may have been why Ned was outlawed. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion To conclude, Ned Kelly is undoubtedly a victim of his circumstances for a number of important reasons. Ned was targeted and pushed into a criminal world by corrupt police, was wrongly accused of murder, and only fought or killed when necessary. He also grew up in a poor and discriminated against family. These reasons definitively prove that Ned Kelly is a victim of persecution.