Title: Education and Crime - Criminal Justice - IResearchNet
Headings: Education and Crime
Education and Crime
IV. Education’s Impact on Crime
A. Education as Crime Prevention
B. The Connection Between Intelligence (IQ) and Crime
C. Education and Recidivism

Content: Some researchers argue that a country’s average education level does not necessarily have a statistically significant effect on the number of violent crimes (e.g., homicides and robberies). As discussed earlier, many have also argued that increased levels of education actually facilitate the criminal behavior in some individuals because of their increased abilities and knowledge (e.g., computer fraud, pyramid schemes). The following is a list of empirically supported findings about the connections between crime prevention and education: Most studies have found that graduation rates are generally associated with positive public safety outcomes and lower crime rates for communities. States with higher levels of educational attainment also have crime rates lower than the national average. States with higher college enrollment rates experience lower violent crime rates than states with lower college enrollment rates. States that make more significant monetary investments in higher education experience more positive public safety outcomes and lower crime rates. The risk of incarceration, higher violent crime rates, and low educational attainment are concentrated among communities of color, whose members are more likely to suffer from barriers to educational opportunities. Disparities in educational opportunities contribute to a situation in which communities of color experience less educational attainment than whites, are more likely to be incarcerated, and are more likely to face higher violent crime rates. For most people, the connection between education and crime prevention is easy to see.