PORTFOLIO

Introductory Criminology Portfolio

CM1118

Journal Article Review

The article, “Risk, responsibilities and rights: Reassessing the 'economic causes of crime” by Fergusson, reassesses the connection between young people's unemployment and offending incidents in times of recession making use of recent data in this regard. The author provides statistical evidence to suggest that youth offending is on decline while the trend in unemployment is on the rise, and with this it is asserted that the worst recession of the modern times have brought a decline in offending as compared to what was seen historically and was highlighted in various studies surrounding the establishment of a link between the two. The article presents a brief overview of the historical relationship of crime rates and unemployment and moves on to the effects of strategies of Youth Justice Board on reducing the number of offences, then focusing on the effects that unemployment can have on social cohesion and lastly it presents some reflections on the rights afforded to young people and the responsibilities expected of them.

A plethora of research studies can be found surrounding the relationship between unemployment and offending among young people. These studies provide statistical support to present an association between the two factors and most of them have identified a positive relationship. The author states that there are though only a few studies that use qualitative approach for this topic. Based on the thesis with regard to economic causes of crime that anticipate a direct link of weak economy, rise in youth unemployment and increase in offending, Fergusson exhibits that recent data is clearly in contrast to the anticipated archetypal linkage of the three (p. 34). For this theoretical assertion, he provides recent statistical data showing a marked decline in offending despite being faced with the worst recession in years.

The account of studies included are relevant to the article since they help in highlighting the causes and effects of the strategies that the Youth Justice Board took for the reduction of youth offending. Studies highlighting that unemployment plays in the time of recession in playing a positive role related to property crimes are a central theoretical foundation on which rests the discussion of the paper. It is noted by the author that studies stating to show a positive correlation between unemployment and crime rates are far from conclusive and that since the past few years with the beginning of financial crisis there is not seen any detailed analytical study on the topic (p.37). Furthermore, studies presenting 'age' as a determining factor in the kind of crime that is committed is also part of the focus. It is also argued that the techniques employed in the papers have produced some contradictory results if they are compared with the results that recent data reveals and therefore, they can be seen to have limited success towards identifying this significant relationship in a clear manner. Such techniques are deemed to be appropriate for the processes of risk profiling in the current practice of youth justice but they have ...