een unemployment and property crime is implied.
Youth is also a factor that is viewed as being related to the link between unemployment and property crime. Studies thus far demonstrate a lack of empirical support regarding this possibility. Baron and Hartnagel (1997) studied street youths' reactions to labor market experiences. Findings were that unemployment, homelessness, drug use, and criminal peers did effect criminal behavior. Hashimoto (1987) studied the minimum wage law and its relationship to youth crimes; findings showed that the minimum wage law resulted in increased property-related crimes in youth. These studies provide impetus for the theory that youth is a relative factor, but empirical support is needed.
The problem is that while the literature points to the possibility that unemployment is linked to property crime and this relationship is affected by race and youth, a study is needed to investigate these relationships, for all individuals in the U.S..
1) Unemployment: unemployment is operationally defined and measured by data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
2) Property Crime Rates: property crime rates are defined as burglary, robbery, and larceny-theft rates for a three-year period from 1999-2001, as reported by the FBI Uniform Crime Reports statistics (UCR).
3. Race: race is defined by ethnic group, to include White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Other.
4. Youth: youth is operationally defined as all individuals ages 13 to 24 years of age.
What is the relationship between unemployment and property crime rates for all individuals in the U.S.? What effect does race have on the relationship between unemployment and property crime rated for all individuals in the U.S.? What effect does youth have on the relationship between unemployment and property crime rated for all individuals in the U.S.?
Baron, S. W. (2001). Street youth labor market experiences and crime. The Canadian Review of Sociology a...