Property crime and unemployment: a new perspective

Abstract

Vanagunas (1984) found a significant association between the unemployment rate of minority males and both motor vehicle theft and the commercial robbery rate. However, he presented no theoretical framework with which to explain these results. This paper attempts to provide a microeconomic foundation for the link between property crime and unemployment. The model is based on a cost-benefit analysis. It is unique in that the behaviour is viewed from the perspective of criminals rather than non-criminals. The empirical findings supported the hypothesis with some qualifications. Only the association between the unemployment rate and the larceny rate was positive and significant for the property crimes of the USA for the period of 1960-90.

Türkiye’de Malvarlığına Karşı İşlenen Suçların Mekansal Bağımlılığı

“…(2011),Gronqvist (2011, Aksu ve Akkuş (2010), Baharom ve Habibullah (2009), Saridakis ve Spengler (2009), Baharom ve Habibullah (2008), Poutvaara ve Priks (2007), Edmark (2005), Edmark (2003), Melick (2003), Nilsson ve Agell (2003), Carmichael ve Ward (2001), Raphael ve Winter-Ebmer(2001), Elliott ve Ellingworth (1998), Elliott ve Ellingworth (1996), Witt vd. (1998), Elliott ve Ellingworth (1996), Tsushima (1996), Lester (1995) ile Smith vd. (1992)'in çalışmaları yer almaktadır.…”

Labour market conditions and crime in Greece

“…Ever since the seminal work of Becker (1968), a growing body of empirical literature has addressed the issue of how criminal activity is affected by the prevailing social and economic conditions (inter allia: Fadaei-Tehrani and Green, 2002;Beraldo et al, 2011;Habibullah and Baharom, 2009;Buonanno and Montolio, 2008;Nelen, 2008;Ponsaers et al, 2008;Caruso, 2011;Rodgers et al, 2008). A strand of this literature, has focused on how labour market conditions and unemployment levels in particular affect criminal activity rates (inter allia: Lester, 1995;Yang and Lester, 1994;Lee and Slack, 2008;Calvo-Armengol et al, 2007;Lee and Holoviak, 2006;Tang, 2011;Witt et al, 1998). Essentially, as Habibullah and Baharom (2009) note, the economic approach to crime postulates that it is strongly associated with the prevailing economic conditions in a country and the situation in the labour market in particular since the up-and downturns of the economic cycle will invariably be reflected in the available employment opportunities.…”