Regulating preventive measures in addressing socioeconomic determinants of crime: Sociolegal and economic considerations

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the health and economy of people around the world. In addition, lack of access to income and social restrictions have increased the crime rate related to COVID-19. In this context, this study seeks to investigate the effect of the pandemic, especially social restrictions on the increase in crime. Furthermore, this study aims to formulate policies that are interrelated between socioeconomic pressures during a pandemic and crime. This study is formulated based on the theory of socioeconomic determinants of crime from Buonanno (2003), while the theorization of the relationship between pressure as the effect of pandemics and its use as crime legitimacy is adopted from Agnew (2006) and Green (2020). However, the focus and formulation of the socioeconomic determinants of crime, especially during the COVID-19 period, have rarely been examined in previous studies. To fill this void, this research was conducted using a normative-empirical approach in a qualitative design. The results show that COVID-19 has influenced the pattern of crime in society. In this context, clearer governance is needed to modify the negative effects of the pandemic which is adjusted to each of the socioeconomic determinant. Furthermore, regulations and targeted frameworks need to be integrated into areas related to business, tourism, and industry to absorb labor and minimize unemployment.