Crime in Trinidad and Tobago: the effect of alcohol use and unemployment.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine whether unemployment and alcohol consumption were associated with different types of crime in Trinidad and Tobago. METHODS This study made use of secondary data from the Central Statistical Office of Trinidad and Tobago for the period 1990-1997. Pearson product moment correlations and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to identify significant predictors of crime. RESULTS Unemployment accounted for 69.2% of the variance for serious crimes. Beer available for home consumption explained 64% of the variance for minor offenses, and both unemployment and beer available for home consumption accounted for 92.2% of the variance for minor crimes. CONCLUSIONS This study provides information that is potentially useful for developing public policies for unemployment and for the sale of beer for home consumption, both of which are associated with crime in Trinidad and Tobago. Reductions in beer available for home consumption-a major public health concern-would significantly reduce the occurrence of minor offenses in this country. Further research is needed on the relationship between unemployment and crime.