Often regarded as the birth of Western civilisation, Greece had a tremendous influence on art, politics, philosophy, language, sports and many other things. Besides that, Greece is a wonderful Mediterranean country to visit, from white sand beaches, historical ruins or one of its 6,000 islands.
The main problem of some parts in Greece are pickpockets, which are not considered a violent modus operandi for criminals. However, it is common from places that receive a lot of tourists per year to have this kind of problem. Greece is the 39 safest country in the world, based on the ranking of the safest and most dangerous countries. There is an important bond between education and the reasons why safe countries are so safe, here at Nestoras College students learn about Greek traditions at no extra cost for their parents. Today we will learn more about Greek traditions, customs and ancient music.
Is Greece a safe or dangerous country?
Greece is a very safe country. It is ranked 39th in the ranking of the safest countries in the world. All the risks listed have a small chance of happening, but as one of the main tourist destinations and a strong economic crisis, travellers may face some dangers.
Pickpockets and bag thieves are a problem in the crowded subway stations of Athens and other cities, and close to tourist attractions, so it is better to use a money belt or leave all valuables in your hotel. Violent crime is very low, there have been some reports of fights between intoxicated tourists near resort areas such as Korfu or Rhodes.
Begging is not uncommon in some larger cities, but not that much in most cities. other major cities, and aggressive beggars are rarely experienced. Some beggars are organized in groups. Keep in mind that flashing any cardboard sign very close to your body could be a pickpocket trick. Since the economic crisis, some organized protests can lead to struggles between protesters and the police force, so it is not wise to join any of these protests.
Petty crime, such as the theft of bags and the collection of pockets, is a serious problem in tourist areas and public transport. In large cities, take the usual precautions (for example: do not walk in parks alone at night, do not leave your bike or phone and camera unguarded and not keep your wallet in your back pocket) and most likely not You will find no crime at all while staying in Greece.
How clear is the link between education and crime?
Better education for less crime
The main theoretical link between education and criminal behaviour is quite direct: education increases opportunities to access legal jobs and increases their salaries, which reduces the financial attractiveness of criminal activities (for more details, see this post and this other previous post about the economic theory of crime).
There are other links between education and the reduction of crime. The opportunity cost (defined in economics as what is left to be earned by the choice that has been decided) is also greater for those people who have the potential to earn high salaries in legitimate activities, since being in prison means time away from working market. On the other hand, the condemnation itself exerts a social stigma that acts as an additional deterrent, which is probably stronger the more education the individual has.
On the other hand, schooling can affect people’s behaviour, for example by making them more patient or increasing their aversion to risk.
What does the evidence tell us? Although from the theoretical point of view we can identify several channels through which education affects crime, addressing this relationship empirically is more difficult. The causality that is usually predicted goes from education to criminal behaviour that is, a person with little education is more likely to commit crimes compared to a person with more education. However, causality can also be interpreted the other way around: a person more likely to commit crimes is less likely to remain in school compared to a person who is not prone to committing crimes.
There are some studies that use econometric techniques to ensure that causality comes from education to crime, as in the first case. These studies seek changes in education that are not produced by changes in crime. For example, Lochner and Moretti, (2004) uses the changes in the mandatory school attendance laws by state in time in the US (changes believed to be not caused by increases in crime) and finds that higher education reduces the rate of Criminality: An extra year of high school attendance significantly reduces the likelihood of arrest and incarceration.
Equivalent results were obtained by studying changes in compulsory school attendance laws in the United Kingdom (Machin, Marie and Vujic, 2012). However, not only does the higher level of education seem relevant, but also the quality of education received. Deming (2011) estimates the impact of going to diverse types of schools (assigned by a lottery) in crime in the school district of Charlotte-Mecklenburg (USA). Seven years after the draw, the beneficiaries assigned to the best schools were arrested less frequently and for fewer days. The effect is greater in the young people of greater risk, who committed a 50 percent less crimes in comparison with those not benefited by the lottery.
The school can also produce a disabling effect. That is, by keeping youth out of the street and occupied during the day, school attendance can have an effect on criminal participation. Jacob and Lefgren (2003) find evidence in this regard for crimes against property by comparing days of school attendance with the crime rate when the school does not open its doors (by teacher training, vacations or holidays).
Remember that Nestoras College remains an excellent option for students to learn about Greek traditions at no extra cost for their parents. We are excellent at helping young men embrace old Greek culture in their lives.