The Impact of Youth Unemployment on Crime - Research Paper Example

The impact of youth unemployment on crime Introduction The youth have had problems in the society because of lack of work and havingundergone education. Research has shown that the number of youth leaving the institutions of higher learning is on the rise. The governments, on the other hand, are failing to deliver jobs for the elites leading to a frustrated society. It has been known over time that youths leave institutions of higher learning have higher expectations. The frustrations that hit them as realization unfolds on them lead them to take up available options. The paper presented below seeks to illustrate and present a discussion on the unemployment causes and how it is associated with economic conditions. Literature review From research, it can be shown that there are higher rates of unemployment and further developed arguments into consequences of unemployment among youth. The streets of the continent have been seen to be full of idling youths without any purpose or duties. There are extended studies that have been documented to demonstrate the outcome (Ferguson, Mcleod & Horwood, 2014). The lucky few who leave the university have had a chance to enter into the job market while others do not make it to any job ((Buonnano, Drago & Galbiati, 2014). The number of youths in prison is found themselves in the cells because of indulging in illegal practices, which are unlawful. Lack of an activity to perform on a daily basis has led the youth to go outside the norm to find solutions to their impending problems. According to the Economist (2011), youth unemployment has risen in the past five years in most countries that belong in the Organization for economic cooperation and development- OECD. Figures taken from the organization reveal that 1 in 5 people under the age of 25 in the European Union labor force is unemployed. In America, approximately just over 18% of those below the age of 25 are unemployed with young blacks making up 15% of the statistic. Countries such as Switzerland, Mexico, and Netherlands have youth unemployment rates that are below 10% but the number is rising. This latest statistics presented by the OECD reveal that the number of jobless 15-24 year olds has hit an all-time high since the organization started stacking up data in 1976 (The Economist, 2011). Just like all unemployment does, youth unemployment present direct costs to governments in the form of: lost income taxes, wasted capacity, and increased benefit payments. Wasted capacity means that frustration builds among the young and unemployed. According to a report by D.C Justice Policy Institute, unemployment can result to feelings of futility, worthlessness, and disenfranchisement (Bradford, 2012). More free time compounded with a nothing to lose mindset ensures that most youth can easily be swayed into crime with little to discourage them. Data and methods The research seeks to find out the youth perception on unemployment. In addition, it makes use of survey data from literature and carrying out of a questionnaire filling activity to determine quantitative data. Analysis will be performed on the collected data using the statistical methods to determine preferences and scores of variables to the research question (Raphael, 2001). Moreover, research will focus on coming up with numbers of students leaving higher institutions. It also comes up with data about the unemployment rates in the countries of interest. It will proceed by making a comparison about the impacts of unemployment on the mental state of the youth (Buonnano, Drago & Galbiati, 2014). It is imperative to ascertain the number of youth with education who have been jailed for doing wrong. An interview from the required candidates will help shape and give a clear illustration about the situation in the country (Britt, 1994). Theory Sociology defines the study of human relationships and institutions. It is a body of knowledge that provides the platforms to undertaking various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to provide information on social change, social order, and social disorder. It is a social science that concerns itself with the study of the social lives of societies, groups, and people. Sociological imagination refers to a type of insight that is provided by the field of study of sociology. Coined by C. Wright Mills in 1959, the term sociological imagination refers to the ability to place circumstances and situations in a wide social context and observe how actions and interactions are influential upon other individuals and situations (Fuller, 2006). Mills defined the term as the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society (Fuller, 2006). Mill’s sociological imagination can be applied to the social problem of youth unemployment and its effects on crime. An ordinary youth can become depressed from being unemployed and view it as a personal problem. He may be castigated as being lazy, work-shy, or non-enterprising. However, if there are thousands of other similar unemployed youths, then according to the definition of sociological imagination, this should be viewed as a public issue. The rising numbers of unemployed youth across countries in the world should point to public and social issues that must get addressed to avert any adverse effects in society such as crime. Literature points to how Europe’s labor market is hard to access due to youth with criminal records and how it created unemployment rates to rise (Zammit, 2013). Thus, more youth are in prison. The statistics show using verity of statistics among major countries in Europe to be of a very high rate. The rates are high and wanting and, as a result, they opt to seek alternative means to find out ways of making ends meet (Raphael, 2001). Psychological disorder results from the external environment. Psychological distress can lead to a positive thought and cause of action while the contrary is true because it could lead to adverse effects. It is a common phenomenon for people with the same problem to congregate and come up with solutions for the affliction (Raphael, 2001). Conclusion Investigation across the seas to America made in Louisiana show the relationship between unemployment and crime rates. The same menace is evident in the US country where the youth leaving the universities have a hard time finding themselves jobs. Others go for entrepreneurship while others find themselves in crime. The rates are high because of frustration and negative view of life. The determination will be purely based on data obtained from both literature and research that was carried out. Determination and analysis will serve as the conversion point for the data into information. It is from this information that discussion will be carried out, conclusion and recommendation for future research on the topic and the ways through which the menace can be averted. Research will be purely based on literature survey and data collected from survey. The focus will be on the rate of unemployment and how the same affects the youth crime rates seen from prison inmates. References The jobless young Left Behind. (2011, September 10). Retrieved November 25, 2014, from The Economist: http://www.economist.com/node/21528614 BRADFORD, S. (2012). WORKING FOR A BETTER FUTURE: How expanding employment opportunities for D.C’s youth creates public safety benefits for all residents. Justice Policy Institute, 1-16. Britt, C. L. (1994). Crime and Unemployment Among Youths in the United States, 1958-1990. American Journal of Economics and Sociology , 99-109. D. A. Dobbins, B. M. (1958). Effects of Unemployment on White and Negro Prison Admissions in Louisiana . The Journal of Law and Criminology, 522. Fergusson DM, M. G. (2014). Unemployment and psychosocial outcomes to age 30: A fixed-effects regression analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 735-742. Fuller, S. (2006). The New Sociological Imagination. New York: SAGE. Paolo Buonanno, F. D. (2014). Response of Crime to Unemployment An International Comparison. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice , 29-40. Raphael, S. (2001). Identifying the Effect of Unemployment on Crime. Journal of Law and Economics , 259-283. Weber, A. S. (2013). Youth Unemployment and Sustainable Development: Case Study of Qatar. Social Work Review, 47-57. Read More