Vox:
Crime scars: Recessions and the making of career criminals
4 March 2015
Recessions can lead to an increase in youth unemployment, which could later negatively affect labour market outcomes. This column explores the effect of recessions on criminal activity. The findings indicate a substantial effect on initiating and forming youth careers. There is initially strong and eventually long-lasting detrimental effect of entering the labour market during a recession for individuals at the threshold of criminal activity. These effects are economically substantial and potentially more disturbing than short-run effects.
This article was published online by Vox on March 4, 2015
Link to article here
Related publications
'Crime Scars: Recessions and the Making of Career Criminals', Brian Bell, Anna Bindler and Stephen Machin, Centre for Economic Performance Discussion Paper No.1284, July 2014
Related links
Brian Bell webpage
Stephen Machin webpage
Labour Markets Programme webpage