Research indicates that unemployment is a factor that contributes to the incidence of crime, but in a way that is often complex, indirect, and related to other factors. To determine the impact of unemployment on crime, it is necessary to refer to particular offenses and particular circumstances, rather than to unemployment and crime in general. An examination of case processing in magistrates courts shows some relationship between employment status and incarceration. Unemployment also has an effect throughout the sentencing range, influencing the use of fines, community service orders, and, to some extent, probation. Research also shows that courts' responses to unemployment varied in a way that reflected past sentencing practices and local social and economic conditions. The role played by employment schemes for offenders varies, depending on the circumstances in which they operate. They were likely to have a more difficult task in the more economically deprived parts of the country, where their role was often one of assuaging the impact of deprivation. 175 references, subject index.