Intra-Individual Variability in Employment and Crime: Exploring Heterogeneity in Employment

• In Event: Life-Course Transitions and Offending Behavior

Abstract

The high rate of incarcerated offenders who reenter the community only to eventually return to prison is a persistent problem within criminology and criminal justice. Theorists and policy makers alike, point to a lack of quality employment among those reentering the community as a potential reason for recidivism. Although many theories such as rational choice, social bond, and strain suggest there should be a negative relationship between employment and crime, research evaluating this relationship has yielded inconsistent results. Using a longitudinal sample of serious drug-involved offenders, the present research seeks to explore the relationship between employment and crime across the life course through moving beyond the “employment dichotomy.” This paper examines crime and employment quality indicators such as number of hours worked, the type of employment held, or whether the individual indicated job satisfaction. It is hypothesized that when heterogeneity in employment measures are considered, there will be a relationship between quality employment and future crime. Policy implications surrounding this research will also be discussed.

Author

• Chae Mamayek Jaynes, University of Maryland