Canberra, Wednesday 26 September 2001

Youth crime: Education and jobs key to reduction

Home burglaries in Australia would be reduced by 15 percent if young men who have been unemployed for more than 12 months were re-enrolled in education and completed Year 12, according to research results announced in Perth today.

The research found that even if all young Australian males experiencing long-term unemployment were simply placed in jobs, home burglaries would be reduced by about 7 percent a year. Home burglary is Australia's most prevalent crime problem, affecting about 1 in 20 Australian households every year.

The research was conducted by Professor Bruce Chapman of the Centre for Economic Policy Research at ANU's Research School of Social Sciences, Dr Don Weatherburn and Dr Marilyn Chilvers of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, and Dr Cesare Kapuscinski and Sandra Roussel.

"There has not been a study of this kind anywhere in the world," Professor Chapman said. "It is exciting - the results are very strong statistically and establish for the first time the critical role of unemployment duration and educational experience with respect to criminal activity "

Perhaps the most surprising finding is the importance of school retention rates. Our findings show that there would be no reduction in crime at all if young long-term unemployed males were re-enrolled in education but dropped out before completing secondary school.

Professor Chapman said the findings had important implications for policy. "If high duration youth male unemployment can be eliminated or significantly lowered, rates of property crime will go down," he said. "This is also true with policies that encourage Year 12 completion. On the other hand, unsuccessful senior high school policies - those that lead to drop-outs- will add to crime."

Professor Chapman said the findings highlighted the importance of thinking beyond the narrow confines of policing and the criminal justice system when looking for ways to reduce crime.

For more information contact:
Don Weatherburn, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research
02 9231 9190 (w) or 0419 494 408(mobile),
or
Professor Bruce Chapman, Centre for Economic Policy Research 0416 249 555 (mobile)

No: 82/2001

© 2000 Marketing & Communications Division,
The Australian National University.
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Last Modified Tue, July 16, 2002