Unemployment and Crime Rates

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the effects of unemployment on the crime rates in New York City in the past few years. Initially, the paper focuses on data and statistics concerning the correlation between the increase in unemployment rates and subsequent increases in crime. The paper then attempts to demonstrate that an increase in the unemployment rate leads to an increase in the crime rate in New York City. The paper also discusses three theories that can explain this positive correlation between unemployment rate and crime rate.

From the Paper:

"In the graph (New York Crime Rates 1976-2000) that follows we see that the Crime rates for the same ten year period have actually decreased every year. This is the case in spite of fluctuations in the unemployment rate. There are several reasons why these anomalies exist. The first factor involves an increase in law enforcement personnel and the city's more aggressive stance on crime. In addition, these statistics ignore many important factors such as race because unemployment rates among minorities are higher. In addition, it does not explain crime rates in neighborhoods where the unemployment rates are higher. Without these factors it is difficult to see the whole picture and what is really happening in these underemployed neighborhoods."

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