You make a good point that has been studied in depth.
There are without doubt situations where job loss without an adequate social safety net including free education & training programs, day care and yes even some minor cash and food stamp assistance increases crime.
People will do whatever they have to to feed their kids or themselves for that matter.
The key is doing exactly what President Clinton did with Welfare. Don't support them for life. Don't just say from day one fend for yourself.
Step people out of poverty with small basic financial assistance along with all the programs needed to get your act together for free... medical, day care etc. Make it so you don't get the financial assistance unless you do the education or job training program.
It's been concluded that if people have to get up and participate in programs to get the small amount of financial assistance include in the program. They often move on, on their own as soon as the have almost any skills at all. Even minimum wage is as much or more income as the program was.
All this said I can understand the devastation ones must feel if they have a family and were providing for them with a good job and then suddenly it just disappeared. The situation itself almost makes a minimum wage job a waste of time... you all just starve a little slower.
