FEB Assessment Event 6: Academic Research Essay

How poor education and

unemployment is linked to crime
rates

Students Name: Ha Buu Thien

Student ID#: SISD0001AE#6
Teacher: Stephanie Mclean
Due Date: 29 March 2017
Word Count: 373
FEB AE#6 Ha Buu Thien SISD0001

Crime is a major issue in many parts of the world. Countries around the world have taken many

precautions in order to control crime but have failed to reduce it significantly. The main causes of crime

are unemployment and poor education, which are often over looked in schools and homes, as they ignore

their importance. it These factors should be more readily acknowledged by society.

Having a job and good education, individuals are less likely to join gangs as they are able to make better

decisions and make a living without going in to a gang. According to national studies, around 95% of

gang members are high school dropouts (Carlie, 2002). Young people can avoid getting into any gangs or

bad people if they are attending school or having a job which keeps them occupied instead of

committing any crimes.

A program developed by the University of Chicago Crime Lab called Become A Man aimed to increase

school attendance in an attempt to reduce youth crime rates, It targeted 800 young school boys from 13

different schools. Youth who participated in the program showed a 44 percent decrease in violent crime

arrests and also were more engaged in school during the intervention.

Jobs are very important for individuals as earning a livable wage is essential for taking care of themselves

and families, this leads less people stealing as they are not desperate for money to survive. The more

people that are employed, the more crime rates will fall. Ross Ferguson, a researcher from UK states ,

Unemployment is linked to crime, especially when large numbers of people are out of work (Freguson,

2015). He is referring here to the Great Recession, during which employment rose significantly and

wages decreased which lead to the rise in youth crime. In contrast, increased employment of youth leads

to the reduction of crime.

Crime is mainly caused by poor education and lack of access to employment, so more awareness should

be brought to the community. individuals that can support themselves and their families with a job and

good education are less likely to commit any crimes compared to those who do not have those

Page | 2
29/3/17
FEB AE#6 Ha Buu Thien SISD0001

opportunities. People around the world should do more to acknowledged the importance of employment

and education to further reduce crime rates in their communities.

Page | 3
29/3/17
FEB AE#6 Ha Buu Thien SISD0001

References

UChicago News. (2017). Study: Chicago counseling program reduces youth violence, improves school
engagement. [online] Available at: https://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/07/13/study-chicago-
counseling-program-reduces-youth-violence-improves-school-engagemen [Accessed 29 Mar. 2017].

People.missouristate.edu. (2017). Gangs 101 - The Gang as a Criminal Enterprise. [online] Available at:
https://people.missouristate.edu/michaelcarlie/APPENDIX/criminal_enterprise.htm [Accessed 29 Mar.
2017].

Hartston, W. (2017). Top 10 facts about crime. [online] Express.co.uk. Available at:
http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/top10facts/438834/Top-10-facts-about-crime [Accessed 29 Mar.
2017].

Crimeandjustice.org.uk. (2017). Is there a link between youth poverty and crime? | Centre for Crime and
Justice Studies. [online] Available at: https://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/resources/there-link-between-
youth-poverty-and-crime [Accessed 29 Mar. 2017].

Unodc.org. (2017). Economic crises may trigger rise in crime. [online] Available at:
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2012/February/economic-crises-can-trigger-rise-in-crime.html
[Accessed 29 Mar. 2017].

Page | 4
29/3/17