UNEMPLOYMENT AND ILLITERACY AS CONTRIBUTOTY FACTORS

TO THE INCREASE OF CRIME IN BAROBO, AGUSAN DEL SUR

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Background of the study

Social scientists conceived crimes as menace to social, economic and political

stability of nations and thus ultimately cause people to suffer from fears, insecurities, life

miseries, and misfortunes. More than ever, crimes vary from one social group to another

and their root causes in most cases may be traced to societal general conditions.

As disclosed by Lemert (2013) societal general conditions as indicative of

urbanization, rapid population rate, poverty, unemployment, no access to equal

educational opportunities among the populace, migration from the rural to urban, and

corruptions of politicians directly and indirectly, contribute to the incidence of crimes of

any form.

By and large, social scientists have had classified criminal activity according to the

discernible behavior systems of those who engage in it. In most cases, illiteracy equates

unemployment and therefore correlated to commission of crimes for survival or eventually

sustenance of vices of those who commit it.

In the local scenario as reported by Police Supt. Sindac (2014), the PNP

Spokesman, 290,000 number of crimes were committed in the country for year 2014, and

these were attributed to various causes though thirty percent (30%) of which were solved
and still in progress for their resolutions, with ninety percent (90%) satisfaction rating, in

favor among the rank and file of the police organization.

It was therefore apparent to conduct a study on unemployment and illiteracy as

contributory factors to crime increases in Barobo, Surigao del Sur with the end in view

that the findings of this study may merit lawmakers, educators, local public officials, police

authorities, citizens and future researchers.

Review of the Related Literature and Studies

Selected literatures and studies included hereunder by the foreign and local

authors and research personalities were found with direct similarity and significant

bearing to the present study. Their readings served as guide for the present researchers

to attack with deeper insight and with more complete knowledge on how their own

problem areas investigated were resolved with lesser difficulty and finality.

Related Literatures

Foreign

As claimed by Mueller (2013), unemployment and illiteracy are terms in tandem as

correlates to one another rooted from Latin words “an” and “implicare” meaning “no” and

“fold” for the former which generally connotes a person not engaged in a gainful

occupation; and “illiteratus” denoting unable to read or write for the latter respectively. In

other words, if a person is illiterate, chances are no leeway for him to be employed under

an employer, however he has access to be self employed by using his muscular strength

in order to earn for a living. But at the end day, a person’s earnings through the use of
muscles are on the subsistent or hand-to-mouth level and therefore could not consistently

support and sustain the basic household needs of the family and thus deprived children

of quality education for their welfare. However, such scenario is only true in countries

where there is abundance of labor supply hence the work of the hands is very cheap. But

on other hand, the use of muscles or simply manual labor as means for a living is of great

demand in highly developed and affluent countries and the income is definitely high than

the white collar jobs. It is within this context that a person with hand-to-mouth income

would find other means by committing crimes for survival just in case he is a family man

with many children to support of their basic household, nutritional and educational needs.

The above viewpoints are strengthened further by Schaefer (2013) that illiteracy

sustained the unemployment status of the individual and therefore partners in the

impoverished conditions of the family. In this case, if a person is illiterate, he has no

access to employment opportunities and therefore tantamount to resulting into other

means by committing crimes at extreme cases, for survival.

The same line of thinking has been advocated by Jackson (2013) that

unemployment and illiteracy are social conditions as offshoots of very weak leadership

combined with corruptions as veritable industry of some politicians taking shape in poor

countries. With this dilemma, people have no access to better educational and

employment opportunities the fact that budgetary allotment for schools and industries

went into the pocket of their leaders, hence the former, other than their sufferings from

natural calamities, they suffered much from manmade calamities as offshoots of the

latter’s nefarious activities which tantamount to their life decadence and miseries. With

this at hand, victims of such malady who are then illiterates and unemployed have to find
ways and means by committing crimes in order to eat four square meals a day, and thus

sacrificing the educational needs of their children.

Local

By and large in the local scenario, as former Senator Magsaysay (2010) declared

it that the nation’s progress is no swifter than its progress in education. More than ever,

the entire country is counting on the educational system and the educators to lead this

nation towards the realization of social and economic goals. The Filipinos therefore have

always subscribed to the principle that the youth is the hope of the nation, for they will

one day become the citizens and leaders of this country. And thus, a neglect of budget

allocations for educational opportunities among youth will eventually drag them to

illiteracy which is tantamount to unemployment as they will become liabilities rather than

assets to society. With this situation, illiteracy and unemployment are the common

denominators of crimes in the respective communities in particular, and by placing the

country at large, as crime capital before the eyes of the global village.

On the same vein, former Senator Angara (2011) rectified that in order to zero

down illiteracy and unemployment in the country, education must be at work. More than

ever, budget priority for education is a constitutional mandate, wherefore a neglect of

which is a threat to the welfare of the youth. It is at this point that the youth cannot be the

hope of the fatherland as they are illiterates and no work as means for a living and

therefore, they do not have active share in building their respective communities in

particular, and the country in general, and thus they do not have a competitive edge with

their counterpart in the global arena.

 Accordingly, Rimando (2010) strongly pointed out that schools are means to

eradicate illiteracy rate in the country as means for employment opportunities among the

greatest number. It is for this reason that budget allocation for school buildings, modern

facilities and equipment side by side with deployment of more teachers and increases of

their salaries in the first city to the last barrio of the country, will redound to uplift the quality

of life the citizens on the local and national spheres. With this situation, the citizens are

liberated from the bondage of ignorance, poverty and criminality.

Related Studies

Foreign

An institutional study was launched by Greene (2010) along illiteracy as indicator

of unemployment in enhancing crime rate in the slum areas of the urban metropolis in

New York. He employed a field study in gathering and treating the data for the basic

problems raised utilizing purposive sampling of around sixty (60) actual respondents from

the population parameter of one-hundred fifty (150). His findings among others, revealed

that 30 or 60 percent finished high school; whereas, 20 or 40 percent were elementary

graduates wherein the former were absorbed as blue collar workers in the factory, and

the latter remained jobless.

The foregoing findings tend to point out those jobless were the ones involved in

occasional property crimes such as shoplifting and vandalism; and those who finished

high school with blue collar jobs seldom were involved in conventional or occasional

property crime but at extreme cases were dragged to crime involving public order such

as drunkenness.
 A parallel study was conducted by Newman (2011) on illiteracy and unemployment

as correlates to crime incidence in Idaho. Of the one-hundred fifty (150) randomly

selected respondents, 80 or 53.33 percent were college graduates and with white collar

jobs; whereas 70 or 46.67 percent finished high school and landed as blue collar workers

as janitors and janitress in hotels and resorts. Based on the findings of the study, it was

therefore inferred that the higher is the educational attainment of the respondents, the

better is the job and no crime of any kind inflicted by them.

Graf (2012) in his study revealed that illiteracy and unemployment served as

enhancers of criminal behavior among inmates in Indiana District Jail. Anchored on the

foregoing findings, he inferred that the higher is the degree of illiteracy among inmates,

the lesser is their chance for employment opportunities and the more they are susceptible

to criminal behavior and later landed up in jail.

Local

A group research conducted by Guevarra, et. al. (2014) along the effectiveness of

correctional education program in San Pablo City District Jail, their findings revealed that

majority of inmates around 90 percent were on the grade level; and 10 percent were

illiterates. Such the case, grade level and illiterate inmates were prone to commit crimes

involving public order, conventional and occasional property offenses. They revealed

further that the lower is the educational attainment of inmates, the higher is their

susceptibility to commit crimes, and the more they become adaptable to prison cell for

their security and safety as no leeway for survival in a free society due to their

unemployment status. Based on the foregoing findings, they recommended that inmates
should be motivated to finish high school and acquire vocational and technical courses

while in jail in preparation for life anew in society, subsequent to serving their sentence in

jail.

A study by Catapang, et. al.(2014), strengthened further the findings of the

foregoing studies with bearing on factors affecting the increase of female inmates in

Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City. They utilized a descriptive

design with locally constructed questionnaire of five-Likert scale in gathering and treating

the data in order to elicit answers to the basic questions raised in the study. Among

others, their findings revealed that illiteracy and unemployment were contributory factors

to the increase of female inmates in the said correctional institution. They recommended

that these inmates be given access to finish high school and college for their professional

growth, in order to live their life anew when they served their sentence for considerable

number of years.

An institutional research of similar nature was spearheaded by Perez (2011) on

illiteracy and unemployment as correlates to incidence of crimes in the selected urban

areas. He utilized a field research by immersion with inmates in the selected city jails in

the metropolis. His findings among others, revealed a positive correlation between

illiteracy and unemployment, and incidence of crimes in the selected urban areas. In

other words, the higher is the illiteracy and unemployment rate, the greater is the

incidence of crimes in the metropolis, and the more inmates are locked up in city jails. In

the light of the aforementioned findings, he recommended that more access to

educational opportunities be made among unemployed individuals in order to minimize if

not to totally zero down incidence of crimes in the city, and thus lessen the number of

inmates in the city jail.

Theoretical Framework

Selected theories stipulated hereunder offered deeper insight for the present

researchers to formulate a conceptual frame of reference which helped them resolve the

problem areas investigated with finality.

As theorized by Noori (2014) in today’s era of high needs and technology, it is true

that unemployment is growing fast and people are getting frustrated and the commission

of crime is definitely an option for survival.

The foregoing theory is sustained further by Ali (2014) that there is a link between

and among unemployment, illiteracy and crimes wherein the former are correlates to the

latter. In other words, in the community where unemployment and illiteracy rates are high,

the incidence of crimes is also high. The positive relationships between and among the

foregoing variables are prevalent in developing countries where agricultural activities on

the subsistent or hand-to-mouth level are the major means of occupation. Added insult

to injury, the corruption of public officials is a blunder to bringing to the doorsteps of

impoverish citizens access to free quality educational and employment opportunities, and

thus the latter are motivated to commit crimes for their survival.
 The above theories served as masker keys in designing a conceptual framework

for the present researchers to develop proper psychological and associational

perspectives within which their problem areas of investigation lie.

Conceptual Framework

The foregoing theoretical citations served as the basis in designing a skeleton

model in a form of research paradigm as shown in Figure 1.

The said paradigm is an application of system analysis to research where it

provides a holistic approach in analyzing as to whether or not unemployment and illiteracy

are factors which contribute to increases in crime rates in Barobo, Surigao del Sur.

Independent Variables Intervening Variables Dependent

Variables
Input Throughput Output

Personal Profile: Degree of Crimes Extensiveness of Crime

Committed:
 Gender  Increases as
 Age  crime against Contributed:
 Educational public order  unemployment
Attainment  conventional  illiteracy
 Monthly Income crime
 occasional
property crime
Frame 1 Frame 2 Frame 3

Figure 1: Research Paradigm

In Frame 1, it includes the independent variables fused as input or load, such as

personal profile of the respondents in terms gender, age, educational attainment, and
monthly income. The inclusion of these variables is significant in determining most

probably if the respondents are illiterate and unemployed.

As reflected in Frame 2, it covers the intervening variables in terms of the degree

of crimes committed by the respondents as to crime of public order, conventional crime,

and occasional property crime deciphered as throughput, the transformation process

wherein input is transformed into output. In other words without throughput, input can

never be transformed into output, and therefore the objectives advanced in this study

have no chance to be achieved.

Toward this end, the dependent variables are capsulated in Frame 3 as output or

simply the outcome in order to gauge out if unemployment and illiteracy are contributory

factors to crime increases in Barobo, Surigao del Sur.

As such therefore, if the correlational level between unemployment and illiteracy

as contributory factors and the increases of crime rate in the said municipality is positively

high, then the null hypothesis is rejected, while the working hypothesis is supported at

five percent (5%) level of significance.

Statement of the Problem

This study is focused on unemployment and illiteracy as contributory factors to

crime increases in Barobo, Surigao del Sur

Specifically, it seeks answers to the following problems:

1. What is the personal profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1. gender,
 1.2. age,

1.3. educational attainment,

1.4. employment, and

1.5. monthly income?

2. What degree of crimes has been committed by the respondents as to:

2.1. crimes against property,

2.2. crimes against person, and

2.3. crimes that is usually committed?

3. To what extent do crime increases in Barobo are significantly contributed by the

given factors with respect to:

3.1. unemployment, and

3.2. illiteracy?

Statement of Hypotheses

Hypotheses in null and working forms are hereby drawn for acceptance or support

at five percent (5%) level of significance:

Null (Ho1-3) – There is no significant difference in the personal profile of the

respondents, the degree of crimes they had committed, and no extensiveness of crime

increases in Barobo as significantly contributed by factors with respect to unemployment

and illiteracy.
 Working (H1-3) – The higher is the personal profile of the respondents, the lesser

or zero degree of crimes they had committed, and therefore unemployment and illiteracy

are insignificant factors to extensiveness of crime increases in Barobo.

There is a work relationship established between the null and working hypotheses

for simple reason that once the former is rejected, the latter is supported relative to the

foregoing problem areas investigated.

Objectives of the Study

The following objectives are hereby drawn:

1. To know the personal profile of the respondents in terms of gender, age,

educational attainment, employment and monthly income;

2. To determine the degree of crimes committed by the respondents as to crime

of public order, conventional crime, and occasional property crime; and

3. To establish the relationship between unemployment and illiteracy as

contributory factors, and crime increases in Barobo, Surigao del Sur.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study covered sixty (30) respondents representing municipal officials,

barangay officials, citizens and law offenders in Barobo, Surigao del Sur.

It is limited to three (3) areas of investigation, namely: 1.) the personal profile of

the respondents in terms of gender, age, educational attainment, employment, and

monthly income; 2.) the degree of crimes committed by the respondents as to crime of
crime against property, crimes against person, and other crimes that is usually committed

in Barobo as significantly contributed by the given factors with respect to unemployment

and illiteracy.

It is further limited to the use of descriptive method in gathering and treating the

data for the above problem areas investigated with stratified random sampling for

proportional representation of the actual respondents coming from different sectors in the

said municipality.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study may merit the following:

Local Public Officials. They will lead into self-examination of their legal duties as

public servants and thus they are enjoined to serve their respective offices with the

highest degree of responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency in the delivery of basic

services to their respective areas of jurisdiction so their constituents will enjoy quality life

in the midst of natural and manmade calamities.

Public Law Offenders. Their police work being essentially a civilian function

which shall be non-military and civilian in character under the administration and control

of a civilian agency such the case of local executives be given authority and responsibility

among the former in the maintenance of peace and order, protection of lives and

properties and enforcement of the law.

Citizens. As members of democratic community who enjoy full civil and political

rights, they will realize that achievement of peace and order does not exist in a vacuum
and therefore demands utmost cooperation and support to their local and national leaders

in order to make their respective communities in particular, and their country in general,

a better place to live and work.

Future Researchers. The findings of this study may serve as data bank for future

researchers to conduct studies of similar nature and thus strengthened further the findings

of this present investigation.

Definition of Terms

For a better understanding of this study, the following terms are defined:

Contributory Factors. These are unemployment and illiteracy which jointly ignite

the commission of crimes against property and person as criminal activities in Barobo,

Surigao del Sur.

Crime Increases. These refer to enlargement or expansion of crimes committed

due to unemployment and illiteracy of the offenders presumed to be their option for

survival.

Crimes against Person. This involves physical injury and destruction of life.

Crimes against Property. This involves theft, malicious mischief and arson and

other crimes involving destruction.

Illiteracy. A public offender who has little or no education at all and eventually

unable to read and write serving as a contributory factor to crime increases in Barobo,

Surigao del Sur.

 Personal Profile. This applies to private characteristics of the respondents in

terms of gender, age, educational attainment, employment and monthly income as one

of the basic questions raised in this.

Unemployment. It is one of the variables included in this study believed to be as

a contributory factor to crime increases in Barabo due to the fact that the public offender

is not engaged in a gainful occupation or no work at all as means for survival.

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