between level of employment and education is not a simple one. The economic situation and the structural factors of the job markets are reflected in both those with a post-secondary qualification and those who have completed only comprehensive education. At the end of the decade, however, there is a clear correspondence between the rise in the unemployment rate and lack of the post-secondary qualification. The proportion of young people aged 2529 living independently remained steady throughout the 1990s. On the other hand in both younger age groups there has been a steady increase in those living independently. The economic recession would not appear to have affected a change in this in either direction. Contemplated by gender it may be seen that in all age groups there is a significant difference between women and men. The peak of this is in the age group 25-29, in which over 90 % of women are living independently, and men 80 % at most. The early age at which girls leave home is also noteworthy. In the age group 1519 the difference at the beginning of the decade was almost threefold in favour of girls, and at the end of the decade it was still over twofold. The number of young people living independently in owner-occupier homes declined steadily after plummeting at the time of the economic recession. The drop in the years 199798 seen in all age groups but especially among 15-19 year old owner-occupiers is interesting. The figures for moving within the municipality and between municipalities show a constant increase. The most active in this respect were women aged 20-24. Seen at the regional level the migration of women to what are known as the developing economic areas becomes apparent. For those migrating from country to country there are considerable differences between age groups. Those most able and willing to move are women aged 25-29. Although the migration figures are small against numbers in the age groups the rising trend can be set against Finland’s accession to EU membership.
Throughout the 1990s there has been a steady decrease in the number of marriages and de facto marriages in which there are children. The economic situation would not appear of itself to affect the trend. At the same time there has been an increase in the number of childless marriages and de facto marriages. This is especially pronounced among 20-24 year-old women, which in 1997 exceeded the group of women aged 25-29. For men, too, this age group is on the rise. Since 1994 the number of singleparent households has shown a decreasing trend, which is in part explained by the decreasing numbers of the age groups. Since the trough of 1994 the amount of taxable income among young people has begun to show a slight by steady increase, which is greatest among those aged 20-24. At the same time young people’s share of the accrued taxation has remained the same of declined. Since 1996 there has been a rise in those getting into debt, but this is nowhere near the level in the early 1990s. The number of sentences passed on young people, which since the beginning of the decade had been falling, showed a slight increase in 1997. It should be noted that the increase is in fines, on-the-spot fines and decisions not to prosecute. Here to, the level at the beginning of the decade was not equalled. Instead, young people are brought still less before the first judicial instance as has been the trend through-out the 1990s. There is a slight increase in the number of prison sentences in the latter half of the decade. Note should be taken of the decreasing trend in prison sentences while community service is on the increase. Predictably, the pro-portion of drugrelated crimes of all sentences is greatest in the metropolitan area and next, surprisingly, in central Ostrobothnia, after, which, predictably, come the region of Uusimaa and Southwest Finland. Among the growth centres the figures for the Tampere Region are lower and in their entirety in keeping with the regional average. The number of those not in post-secondary education or at work continued to fall except
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