Title:
ADDRESSING YOUTH CRIME IN BANGLADESH: STRAIN THEORY PERSPECTIVE

Authors:
Md. Shafiqur Rashid

Abstract:
Strain theory interprets that stress and crime are correlated. The study evaluates National Service Programme with a quasi experimental design to examine stress-crime association in an extended form. This extension implies that employment reduces stress and stress reduces crime. As evidenced by data analysis, the assumption was sufficiently accurate. The treated group relative to the comparison group is six times more likely to get employed, 12 times less likely to suffer from high stress and 12 times less likely to be involved in crime due to the effect of intervention. The individuals without employment have a 335% increase in chance of suffering from high stress compared to individuals with employment. Those suffering from high stress have 743% increase in risk of getting involved in crime compared to those suffering from low stress. In preventing youth crime and tackling youth unemployment, the study suggests designing project based on the pattern of employment-stress-crime relationship.