[01] Asamu Festus Femi, Department of Sociology, College of Business and Social Sciences, Landmark University, Omun-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria. [02] Ojo Matthias Olufemi Dada, Department of Sociology, College of Business and Social Sciences, Crawford University of the Apostolic Faith Mission, Igbesa, Ogun State, Nigeria. [03] Benson Peter Ayibaabi, Department of Sociology, College of Business and Social Sciences, Landmark University, Omun-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria.

Unemployment in Nigeria has continued to increase despite various plans and programmes used by government to tackle its existence. This has, in turn led to crimes and other social vices among youth. The main objective of this study, therefore, is to examine the impacts of unemployment on crime among Nigerian youths. The study adopted the survey research design. A total of 113 research subjects were drawn from the target population using the stratified and random sampling technique. Frequency counts, simple percentage and chi-square methods were used to analyse the data and testing the hypothesis. Some of the findings show that unemployment serves as one of the major factors that often plague youths’ involvement in criminal activities. The study also confirmed that those youths who have not been employed are more likely to commit crimes than those that are employed. The study recommends, among others, that skill acquisition programmes should be embarked upon by government to help the youths to be self reliant rather than becoming job seekers. With this, unemployment and crime will be reduced to barest minimal.

Youths, Unemployment, Crime, Government, Nigeria

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