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UNEMPLOYMENT AND ADULT CRIME - AN INTERPRETATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL EVIDENCE (FROM UNEMPLOYMENT AND CRIME, 1978 - SEE NCJ-53933)

NCJ Number
53937
Author(s)
J D BRAITHWAITE
Date Published
1978
Length
20 pages
Annotation
AN INTERPRETATION IS PROVIDED REGARDING THE PARADOX OF WHY AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL OF ANALYSIS EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE INDICATES A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME AND UNEMPLOYMENT, WHILE AT TEMPORAL LEVEL NO SUCH RELATIONSHIP IS FOUND.
Abstract
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH HAS AFFIRMED THE SCOPE OF THIS PARADOX; AT THE INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANISMIC LEVEL OF STUDY, PEOPLE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED ARE MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT BOTH SERIOUS AND TRIVIAL CRIME THAN PEOPLE WHO ARE EMPLOYED, WHILE RESEARCH AT THE TEMPORAL OR HISTORICAL LEVEL FAILS TO CONFIRM THAT DURING PERIODS OF HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT CRIME RATES GO UP, AND GO DOWN DURING PERIODS OF LOW UNEMPLOYMENT. A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION FOR THIS IS THAT EVIDENCE HAS SHOWN THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE POOR IN A GIVEN SOCIETY AT ANY POINT IN TIME IS NOT A GOOD PREDICTOR OF CRIME RATES. HOWEVER, THE INCOME GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR, OR BETWEEN THE AVERAGE INCOME EARNER AND THE POOR IS A GOOD PREDICTOR OF CRIME RATES. IN THE U.S., AN EARLY STUDY OF THE BUSINESS CYCLE AND HOMICIDE RATES SEEMS TO AFFIRM SUCH AN INTERPRETATION. IT WAS FOUND THAT DURING HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT PERIODS, HOMICIDES COMMITTED BY WHITES WENT UP--MORE UNEMPLOYMENT, MORE WHITES COMMITTING HOMICIDE. BUT IT WAS ALSO THE CASE THAT WHEN UNEMPLOYMENT WENT UP THERE WERE FEWER BLACKS COMMITTING HOMICIDE. BLACK HOMICIDE RATES WENT DOWN AND IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT WHEN BLACKS CAN SEE SO MANY WHITE PEOPLE COMING DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL OF EXISTENCE, THEY FEEL LESS RELATIVELY DEPRIVED AND LESS RESENTFUL OF WHITES. OTHER MORE RECENT RESEARCH IS CONSISTENT WITH THIS VIEW. REFERENCES ARE FOOTNOTED. (KBL)

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