The study examines the nexus of unemployment and violent crimes using political violence as a point of reference in Southern Ijaw Local Government, specifically the objective was to identify the factors responsible for unemployment, factors responsible for political violence, and the cause of youth involvement in political violence and the effects in Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State. Theoretically the study adopted the Conflict theory of crime as its major thrust of the study. A descriptive research design was used in the study. The methodology includes selection and analysis of 220 administered questionnaires to selected study samples. Interview was held with 10 politicians (party leaders and public office holders). Findings from the study reveal (amongst others) that unemployment level is very high in Southern Ijaw Local Government, Furthermore the study identified wide spread violence, increase in social vices, increase in number of dependents, increase in poverty amongst others as the major effects of unemployment. Further to these findings, this study concludes that there is a link between unemployment and political violence in Southern Ijaw Local Government of Bayelsa State. It however recommends (among others) that government at all levels should put in place and sustain programmes and policies geared towards reduction of poverty and unemployment level via massive youth employment and women empowerment agendas such that both problems can be reduced if not completely removed from our society.

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3367440,  

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