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From: laura@l5.uucp (Laura Creighton)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Minimum wages
Message-ID: <349@l5.uucp>
Date: Sat, 21-Dec-85 16:12:58 EST
Article-I.D.: l5.349
Posted: Sat Dec 21 16:12:58 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 23-Dec-85 05:49:16 EST
References: <279@gargoyle.UUCP>
Reply-To: laura@l5.UUCP (Laura Creighton)
Organization: Nebula Consultants in San Francisco
Lines: 34

In article <279@gargoyle.UUCP> carnes@gargoyle.UUCP (Richard Carnes) writes:
>
>So my question for our distinguished panel of experts is:  Could you
>please discuss the "crime effect" with regard to the minimum wage, or
>at least provide references to books or articles in which this
>question is addressed by opponents of the minimum wage?
>-- 

Here's how minimum wage laws can tend to increase crime.  

Take your average high school drop out.  He doesn't want to return to
school, but he is interested in working. *If* he can get a job, then he
can acquire on the job training, and thus have expereince which translates
into promotions, or a chance at getting a better job.  At the very least
he will have the satisfaction of earning money.

But, if there is a minimum wage law, nobody may be willing to employ him.
The employers will not be able to afford as many employees if they have
to pay minimum wage, and the unskilled and unschooled are first to go.

So what do you get?  A frustrated unemployable person.  And what percentage
of petty thefts are done by unemployed people? [Hint: it is a large percentage]

Next week, they promise me, my books will arrive.  then I can post the
references of several Black scholars who have concluded that minimum wage
laws, created with the very best of intentions, are the worst thing to ever
happen to Black youth as a whole.  Time and time and time again they list
cases where a minimum wage law was made law and within 5 years the Blacks
buying power had fallen dramatically with respect to the White buying power.

-- 
Laura Creighton		
sun!l5!laura		(that is ell-five, not fifteen)
l5!laura@lll-crg.arpa