Contemporary Social Problems

Contemporary Social Problems

Introduction

Even though the current world has developed and experienced significant growth in every sector across the globe, there exist immense social problems. Unemployment, poverty, and crime are some of the contemporary social issues that are affecting society. These three issues are interconnected because the manifestation of one aspect increases or leads to the other aspect and ends up making the living conditions of human beings unbearable. Unemployment is experienced when employees or skilled individuals who need to work cannot get jobs or create one for themselves because of low economic output. When one is unemployed, it means that they have less or no income to satisfy their daily human wants, which is poverty (Vaalavuo, 2016, 349). Human beings are created to adapt to their surroundings and establish survival ways to try and satisfy their basic needs, such as food and shelter. Getting involved in illegal and criminal activities when one needs a source of income to meet their needs is one of the trends in the contemporary world.

Unemployment

The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes unemployment as individuals who do not have a workplace, have actively sought jobs in the last four weeks, and are actually available for work. The unemployment statistics also include workers who were briefly laid off and waiting to be called back to that role. BLS measures unemployment by way of periodic demographic polls called the Current Population Study.  As part of the government’s reaction to the Great Depression, it has been implemented every month since 1940. As a result, unemployment has fallen overwhelmingly to already vulnerable groups in society, such as low-income earners, and refugees recently arrived.

Cause of unemployment

Nationally, unemployment is caused as the economy slows down and, by rising payroll costs, businesses are forced to cut prices. The financial crisis of 2008 has triggered the worst joblessness since the 1980s. Competition can also contribute to unemployment, in particular in sectors or enterprises. Advanced technology, such as PCs or robots, induces joblessness by replacing employees ‘ jobs with computers.

Impacts of unemployment

The personal and social effects of unemployment include severe financial deprivation and poverty, debts, homelessness and housing pressures, family conflicts and breakdowns, loneliness, depression, guilt and stigma, increased social exclusion, violence, loss of confidence and self-esteem, atrophy of work skills and ill health (Akwara et al. 2013, 9).  Besides, unemployment-related problems will result in unemployed being less safe, adding to health-related costs. Areas of high unemployment and socio-economic inequality can also experience higher levels of crime, instances with depression, and psychological issues.

Poverty

It is a situation or circumstance in which an individual or a society lacks financial and necessary services for a minimum standard of living. Poverty means the employment income is so low the basic human needs can not be fulfilled. A situation in which the socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions is absent is poverty. Poverty is said to occur because citizens lack the means to meet their basic needs. Unemployment is a significant cause of poverty because when an individual has a stable source of income, they can meet their needs and live in a conducive setting.

            Impact of poverty

All the potential consequences of poverty affect children’s lives. Poor infrastructure, unemployment, lack of essential services, and wages are poverty. It also results in domestic and foreign violence, forced labor, all sorts of illnesses, family dissemination, lack of education, and turning to illegal and criminal activities for a source of income. There have been many reports recently of terror groups using violence and force to acquire income to run their lives and of their families (Gillani et al. 2019, 84).

Crime

This is an act that is unlawful and often punishable by the local government or the state, and in modern criminal law, crime does not have a simple and universal description. However, statutory explanations have been offered for different purposes. But in general, any act often committed intentionally and it is deemed to be socially dangerous, harmful, and declared prohibited as well as punishable by law is a criminal act.

Causes of crime

As much as the causes of crime are deemed to be complicated, unemployment, poverty, and even drug abuse are some of the potential reasons why individuals might engage themselves in criminal and unlawful activities. The environment one is brought up also plays a significant role in defining the character of an individual because a kid who grows up experiences abuse from his parents grows up knowing violence is the solution to most problems. Lack of food and other basics is one of the leading causes of crime in today’s society as each person is striving to make a living out of each opportunity that dances their way (Berk et al., .2013, 769).

Impacts of crime

Apart from having drastic effects on an individual’s life, such as experiencing psychological consequences such as depression, guilt, anger or fear, which contributes to flashbacks to the crime, sleeplessness as well as post-traumatic stress disorder. Crime also affects society in several ways as the economy is disabled due to the insecurity developed in individuals. Criminal acts usually increase with an increase in economic stress because individuals are facing a hard time getting their primary needs met.

Conclusion

The current world is experiencing a lot of changes, where some are good, and others are bad, but the economy of a nation determines the peace and stability of the state. When the unemployment rate is very high in a particular country, the levels of poverty are expected to be also high as most people lack a source of income for their needs. Turning to criminal activities is often one of the viable solutions that most poor and unemployed youths and adults will opt for regardless of the consequences. Therefore, a state should try as much as possible to ensure that most of its citizens, especially the youths, have a source of income because this is the primary source of idleness and poverty, which leads to high crime rates.

Work Cited

Akwara, Azalahu F., et al. “Unemployment and poverty: Implications for national security and good governance in Nigeria.” International Journal of Public Administration and Management Research 2.1 (2013): 1-11.

Ayegba, Usman Solomon. “Unemployment and poverty as sources and consequence of insecurity in Nigeria: The Boko Haram insurgency revisited.” African Journal of Political Science and International Relations 9.3 (2015): 90.

Berk, Richard A., Kenneth J. Lenihan, and Peter H. Rossi. “Crime and poverty: Some experimental evidence from ex-offenders.” American Sociological Review (2013): 766-786.

Evertson, Carolyn M., and Carol S. Weinstein, eds. Handbook of classroom management: Research, practice, and contemporary issues. Routledge, 2013.

Gillani, Syed Yasir Mahmood, Hafeez Ur Rehman, and Abid Rasheed Gill. “Unemployment, poverty, inflation, and crime nexus: Cointegration and causality analysis of Pakistan.” Pakistan Economic and Social Review (2019): 79-98.

Hooghe, Marc, et al. “Unemployment, inequality, poverty, and crime: spatial distribution patterns of criminal acts in Belgium, 2001–06.” The British Journal of Criminology 51.1 (2011): 1-20.

O’Connor, Cliodhna. “Using social representations theory to examine a lay explanation of contemporary social crises: The case of Ireland’s recession.” Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology 22.6 (2012): 453-469.