Feinstein, Leon; Sabates, Ricardo; (2005) Education and youth crime : effects of introducing the Education Maintenance Allowance programme [Wider Benefits of Learning Research Report No. 14]. Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, Institute of Education, University of London: London.

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Abstract

Education is a potentially large influence on individual propensities to offend and possibly an important source of area-level variation in crime rates. Crime statistics for England indicate that crime rates are lower in areas with higher levels of education, which are also areas of higher per capita income and contain a higher proportion of families belonging to the highest socio-economic status (Home Office, 2003). Whether the association between education and crime is causal, or whether it masks a number of possible effects that may not be due to education, is less clear. This report explores the relationship between education and crime using a natural experimental setting. To do this, we evaluate the Educational Maintenance Allowances (EMA) – a Department for Children Schools and Families (DCFS) programme designed to increase participation in post-compulsory education – in terms of juvenile crime reduction. We first address the theoretical reasons why education can have an effect on crime reduction and the methodology to evaluate the EMA programme. We then present the results from our estimates of the change in conviction rates for burglary, thefts and violent crimes, for 16 to 18 year old males, in EMA areas relative to other areas. In particular, we explore the effects of the EMA programme on burglary reduction in combination with the Reducing Burglary Initiative, a crime prevention programme introduced by the Home Office in England and Wales around the same time that the EMA were being piloted. Our research highlights the importance of connections between government programmes for young people, such as the EMA and the RBI, and demonstrates the high levels of potential social benefit that may flow from programmes that recognise the connections between key agencies, government departments and stakeholders. This report also shows the capability of education provision in meeting wide-ranging policy objectives.

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