How Does Poverty and Unemployment Affect the Community?

Poverty and unemployment often go hand-in-hand. But how does poverty and unemployment affect the community?

There are three significant ways a community is impacted by this dual force:

1. Lack of jobs can lead to higher crime:

Without the resources to care for oneself or one’s family, a person may resort to crime. Communities with higher crime rates are never places for growth or thriving, and they certainly are not good places to raise a family. Among one study’s conclusions, “There is a need to align the positivity of judicious income distribution with the broad-based economic growth that would be helpful to reduce poverty and crime rate across countries.”[1]


2. Unemployment increases health risks:

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found, “Respondents who were unemployed were more likely to report adverse health outcomes than those employed and self-employed. Prevalences of fair or poor self-rated health, poor physical and mental health, obesity, and 10 chronic health conditions increased from the short-term unemployed to the long-term unemployed and were highest among those unable to work. More than half of the respondents who were unable to work reported having fair or poor general health, poor physical health, or diagnosed depression.”[2] These studies were undertaken in a developed country where jobs are more readily available. These effects are compounded in a country where jobs are scarce and hard to find.


3. Lack of jobs puts future generations at risk:

Children International says, “Children growing up in poverty face constant daily hardships and difficult living conditions that can trap them for life. The unrelenting stress of poverty hinders a child’s brain development and can even have long-term consequences on their physical and mental well being. These effects then follow them into adulthood and the cycle of generational poverty continues.”[3] A community cannot grow or thrive if its children are constantly and cyclically at risk for poverty, hunger and no education.


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