A U. S. Department of Justice funded research report titled Employment, Crime, and Context: A Multi-Level Analysis of the Relationship between Work and Crime” concluded that:
Employment is an essential aspect of social life. The majority of adults spend most of their waking hours engaged in some type of work. At the individual level, it has the power to shape our attitudes, influence our decisions, and determine our lifestyles. At the community level, employment structures social interaction, influences stability, and creates opportunity. Both its individual and community effects can influence crime. If the goal of the public is to decrease property and violent crime, focusing on investments in conventional activities may be a useful approach. Developing programs and policies that promote a sense of investment in employment is likely to lead to an array of socially beneficial outcomes. According to this research, one of these would be a decrease in criminal behavior.
As part of Protect California’s efforts to improve neighborhood safety, we will vigorously advocate for funding for programs and initiatives that provide an opportunity for education and employment. Our support for programs, bills and initiatives will emphasize the public safety benefits that can be attained through enactment of the items below.
Additional State funding to support and expand the Skilled Construction Trades Apprenticeship Programs. These programs teach valuable skills to participants and provide a pathway to a family supportable career in the construction industry.
The passage of AB2 California College Promise that will provide a tuition-free Associate of Arts Degree to all Californians seeking one. Research shows the economic benefits of attaining an Associate of Arts degree. This legislation provides that opportunity to virtually all Californians.
Renew, expand and fund the California Enterprise Zone program to target investments in job creation in designated locations. These zones provide tax and fee incentives to industries, businesses and individuals seeking to do business in California and encourages them to locate in economically disadvantaged locations that may be disproportionately impacted by crime.
Provide State funding to match local funding to recruit qualified candidates to enter the public safety profession from economically disadvantaged census tracts.