Active labor market policies and crime

Artikel

Active labor market programs continue to receive high priority in wealthy countries despite the fact that the benefits appear small relative to the costs. This apparent discrepancy suggests that the programs may have a broader purpose than simply increasing employment—for instance, preventing anti-social behavior such as crime. Indeed, recent evidence shows that participation in active labor market programs reduces crime among unemployed young men. The existence of such effects could explain why it is the income-redistributing countries with greater income equality that spend the most on active labor market programs.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Journal: IZA World of Labor ; ISSN: 2054-9571 ; Year: 2015 ; Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs ; Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
• Subject: the economics of crime ; activation ; workfare ; marginalized youth

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Tranaes, Torben
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2015

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.15185/izawol.185
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/125413
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET