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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for economics and crime
83 results foundAuthor: Whitworth, Adam Title: Crimes Occurring and Prevented in New Deal for Communities Areas: An Approach to Estimating the Economic Costs and Benefits Summary: This report examines the economic cost of crime potentially presented by the new deal for communities program between 2000/01 and 2004/05. It also examines evidence showing that the new deal for communities program resulted in reducing crime, and therefore reduced costs of crime. Details: London: Communities and Local Government, 2010. 77p. Source: Social Disadvantage Research Centre, University of Oxford Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 117570 Keywords: Economics and CrimeEmployment and Crime |
Author: Koinis, Gerald Title: Economic Trends and Crime: The Effects of the Declining Economy on Crime and the Criminal Justice System in North Carolina Summary: The purpose of this study is to assess how North Carolina's criminal justice system and crime rates have been affected by the economic downturn taking place in the nation and the states. Details: Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Criminal Justice Analysis Center, 2009. 31p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118617 Keywords: Criminal Justice System (North Carolina)Economics and CrimeUnemployment and Crime |
Author: Detotto, Claudio Title: Assessing Substitution and Complementary Effects Amongst Crime Typologies Summary: This paper aims at assessing how offenders allocate their effort amongst several crime typologies. Specifically, complementary and substitution effects are tested amongst number of recorded crimes. Furthermore, the extent to which crime is detrimental for economic growth is also tested. The case study is Italy and the time span under analysis is from 1981:1 up to 2004:4. A Vector Autoregressive Correction Mechanism (VECM) is employed after having assessed the integration and cointegration status of the variables under investigation. The main findings are that a bi-directional complementary effect exists between drug related crimes and receiving, whereas a bi-directional substitution effect is detected between robberies, extortions and kidnapping and homicides and falsity, respectively. Furthermore, economic growth produces a positive effect on the growth of homicides, receiving and drug related crimes; while, the growth in robberies, extortion and kidnapping and falsity have a crowding-out effect on economic growth. Details: Munich: University Library of Munich, 2010. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: MPRA Paper No. 20046; Accessed October 21, 2010 at: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/20046/1/MPRA_paper_20046.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Italy URL: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/20046/1/MPRA_paper_20046.pdf Shelf Number: 120036 Keywords: Drug Abuse and CrimeEconomics and CrimeRobberiesUnemployment and Crime |
Author: Hipp, John R. Title: Spreading the Wealth: The Effect of the Distribution of Income and Race/Ethnicity Across Households and Neighborhoods on City Crime Trajectories Summary: This study focuses on the effect of economic resources and racial/ethnic composition on the change in crime rates over a 30-year period in 352 cities in metropolitan areas that experienced a large growth in population after World War II. The key findings are that whereas inequality increases the amount of crime in cities, the distribution of this inequality across the census tracts of the city has important interaction effects. Thus, in cities with high levels of inequality, higher levels of economic segregation actually lead to much higher levels of the types of crime studied here (aggravated assaults, robberies, burglaries, and motor vehicle thefts). In contrast, in cities with low levels of inequality, it is mixing of households in neighborhoods with varying levels of income that leads to higher levels of crime. Likewise, we found an important interaction between the racial/ethnic composition of the city and how these groups are distributed across the neighborhoods of the city. In cities with high levels of racial/ethnic heterogeneity, higher levels of segregation of these groups leads to particularly high overall levels of crime in these cities. In cities with low levels of racial/ethnic heterogeneity, greater mixing of groups in neighborhoods actually increases the crime rate. These are important, novel findings. Details: Irvine, CA: Department of Criminology, Law and Society, University of California, Irvine, 2010. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 21, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232084.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232084.pdf Shelf Number: 12003 Keywords: Economics and CrimeNeighborhoods and CrimePovertyRace/Ethnicity |
Author: Raczkowski, Konrad Title: Transnational Organized Crime: An Economic Security Threat in the Baltic Sea Region Summary: At the beginning of the 21st century the world encountered a new type of threat, extraordinary both in scale and effect. Terrorist actions were unprecedented in their scale and have altered perceptions of global terrorism. An expansion of organized crime further fuelled by the worldwide economic crisis in 2007–08, triggered by the high risk U.S. mortgage loan market, were all factors in raising awareness of an uncertain and unpredictable future. The addition of catastrophic natural disasters in India, Thailand, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Pakistan , China1 as well as natural disasters on a more localized scale such as fires, flooding, technical breakdowns or effects of the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull which in 2010 disrupted European and transcontinental air travel, may lead us to the assumption that our world is no longer a safe place. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting from related discussions for a redefinition of organized crime and penalizing actions on the fringes of legality which have a destructive impact on individuals or society as a whole. At this time of crisis it is particularly worthwhile to reflect over whether pushing many companies to the verge of bankruptcy while tightening criteria for loans affords new opportunities for embezzlement, money laundering and consequently legalizing capital coming from undisclosed sources of income. As set forth by the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, there is a risk that mafia organizations will avail themselves of opportunities afforded by the current crisis, resulting in their taking control of companies under threat of bankruptcy, which will lead to their presence in all regions of the country. It seems necessary now, more than ever before, to reconstruct the financial system in the public sphere and also within individual households while supervising all the incoming assets, at both domestic and international levels. In most cases the impersonal nature of the financial market appear to have brought about irretrievable changes that significantly influenced the daily life and operations of many people, companies, institutions and states. If we add the fact that in Greece, among other countries, the data concerning the budget deficit presented to Brussels and potential purchasers of Greek debt were incorrect, the whole sequence of events following the disclosure of the scale of financial irregularities seen under the government ofKostas Karamanlis are hardly surprising. It is therefore key to address the threats to economic safety where moral and ethical standards fell apart and an undefined speculative capital from supranational capital groups ravaged investors on a large scale. For this reason it is relevant to consider the understanding of traditional criminal groups as well as attempting to answer whether consent to organized operations of financial groups in an incompletely specified system of international law may have features of organized crime and therefore may be seen as criminal. This report is an attempt to outline certain economic conditions which may determine speculative or criminal activity in this field. This factor seems to be crucial as most citizens of developed countries even do not entirely comprehend this mechanism and the reasons behind its efficiency. In this respect a significant part of this report is devoted to elucidate the foundation for contemporary economic conditions in the global system. The analysis is intended to make the reader aware of how far these conditions may determine organized criminal activity or contribute to forming organized activity of a culpable nature, constituting social harm of a scope permitted by law but nevertheless not negligible. Details: Stockholm: Institute for Security and Development Policy, 2010. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2010 at: http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2010_raczkowski_transnational-organized-crime.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Europe URL: http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2010_raczkowski_transnational-organized-crime.pdf Shelf Number: 120154 Keywords: Economics and CrimeFinancial CrimesOrganized Crime |
Author: Cook, Philip J. Title: Economical Crime Control Summary: This paper is the introductory chapter for the forthcoming NBER volume Controlling Crime: Strategies and Tradeoffs. The Great Recession has led to cuts in criminal justice expenditures, and the trend towards ever-higher incarceration rates that has been underway since the 1970s in the U.S. appears to have turned the corner. That raises the question of whether the crime drop can be sustained. State and local revenue shortfalls have engendered intense interest in cost-cutting measures that do not sacrifice public safety. We argue that there is some reason for optimism, simply because current criminal justice allocations and policies appear to be inefficient – more crime control could be accomplished with fewer resources. The crime problem is often framed as a debate between those who favor a “tough” punitive approach versus those who favor a “soft” approach that focuses on prevention or remediation programs. But the canonical economic model of crime from Becker (1968) suggests that the decision to commit crime involves a weighing of both benefits and costs, implying that both tough and soft approaches might be useful. It is ultimately an empirical question about how the marginal crime-control dollar may be most effectively deployed. The evidence presented in this edited volume suggests that a more efficient portfolio of crime-control strategies would involve greater attention to enhancing the certainty rather than the severity of punishment for criminal behavior, stimulating private-sector cooperation for controlling crime, and making strategic investments in the human capital of at-risk populations, including in particular efforts to improve the social-cognitive skills of justice-system-involved populations. To help illustrate the magnitude of the inefficiencies within the current system, the essay concludes with a thought experiment that considers how much additional crime-prevention could be obtained by reverting average sentence lengths back to 1984 levels (midway through the Reagan era) and redirecting the freed-up resources (on the order of $12 billion annually) to alternative uses. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2010. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper Series, Working Paper 16513: Accessed November 8, 2010 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w16513.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w16513.pdf Shelf Number: 120199 Keywords: Costs of CrimeCosts of Criminal JusticeCrime PreventionEconomics and Crime |
Author: Fan, C. Simon Title: Embezzlement Versus Bribery Summary: Corrupt officials can use their positions to enrich themselves in two ways. They can steal from the state budget-embezzling or misspending funds-or they can demand extra payments from citizens in return for services-bribery. In many circumstances, embezzlement is less distortionary than bribery. We analyze the tradeoff for governments in deciding how strictly to monitor and punish these two kinds of bureaucratic misbehavior. When bribery is more costly to economic development, governments may tolerate some embezzlement in order to reduce the extent of bribery-even though embezzlement is generally easier to detect. Embezzlement serves as a parallel to the "efficiency wage." This logic appears to hold in China, where misappropriation of public funds by officials appears to be ubiquitous. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2010. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper Series; Working Paper 16542: Accessed December 3, 2010 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w16542.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w16542.pdf Shelf Number: 120372 Keywords: BriberyCorruptionEconomics and CrimeEmbezzlement |
Author: Anderson, D. Mark Title: The Effects of Poverty on the Susceptibility to Crime in South Africa Summary: Crime is a major economic and social problem in most developing countries. However, the research devoted to victims is sparse. This paper examines the effects of household-level poverty, measured by household expenditures per capita, on the susceptibility to crime in South Africa. An instrumental variables strategy combined with community fixed effects are used to account for potentially endogenous expenditures and unobserved community heterogeneity, respectively. Across all model specifications the probability a South African household is robbed is increasing in expenditures. When using instrumental variables, the positive effect of expenditures on the susceptibility to robbery increases substantially. In addition, the effect of expenditures remains positive and significant if the sample is restricted to “nonwhite” areas. This suggests that robberies are not only a problem for the rich who live in gated communities and hire private security, but also for the relatively “wealthy” that reside in poorer neighborhoods. Finally, this paper fails to find a statistically significant relationship between expenditures and the susceptibility to violent crimes such as murder, rape, and assault. Details: Seattle, WA: Department of Economics, University of Washington, 2009. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 20, 2010 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1289648 Year: 2009 Country: South Africa URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1289648 Shelf Number: 120555 Keywords: Economics and CrimePoverty (South Africa)RobberyVictimizationViolent Crime |
Author: Lochner, Lance Title: Non-Productoin Benefits of Education: Crime, Health, and Good Citizenship Summary: Economists have long recognized and measured the e®ect of education on an individual's own lifetime earnings. More recently, attention has been paid to the effects of education on other personal and social outcomes, such as criminal behavior, health and mortality, and voting and democratic participation. A growing body of work suggests that education offers a wide-range of benefits that extend beyond increases in labor market productivity. Improvements in education can lower crime, improve health, and increase voting and democratic participation. This paper reviews recent developments on these ‘non-production’ benefits of education with an emphasis on contributions made by economists. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2011. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper Series, Working Paper 16722: Accessed February 1, 2011 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w16722.pdf?new_window=1 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w16722.pdf?new_window=1 Shelf Number: 120644 Keywords: Economics and CrimeEducation |
Author: Walton, Oliver Title: Youth, Armed Violence and Job Creation Programmes: A Rapid Mapping Study Summary: In response to growing evidence from the social science literature about the links between youth unemployment and armed conflict, donors have increasingly used youth job creation programmes as a tool with which to address armed violence. Many donors now identify addressing youth unemployment as an urgent priority, both in the field of peacebuilding and in efforts to foster economic development. The link between job creation and peacebuilding has been affirmed by the UN Secretary General’s approval of the ‘UN Policy For Post-Conflict Employment Creation, Income Generation And Reintegration’ in 2008 and more recently by the ILO’s 2010 Guidelines on Local Economic Recovery in Post-Conflict. A new sub-target for the first Millennium Development Goal which focused on youth unemployment was agreed in 2007. Donor armed violence reduction (AVR) strategies have begun to deploy a range of multi-sectoral interventions, including job creation, although AVR integration into donor strategies ‘remains relatively rare’. This rapid mapping study reviews donor approaches to addressing armed violence through youth job creation programmes. It covers a range of programmes including reintegration programmes, early recovery and cash for work programmes; as well as integrated AVR programmes that involve youth job creation components. Section two assesses the theoretical and empirical case for using job creation as a means of reducing armed violence. Section three provides an overview of key donor strategies for addressing armed violence and conflict through youth employment generation. Section four assesses the impact of these interventions; section five identifies some gaps in the current literature. Section six highlights some specific examples of successful programmes and section seven draws out some lessons and best practice based on donor experience. The study finds that both the theoretical and the empirical cases for using youth employment programmes as a stand-alone tool for reducing violent conflict are extremely weak. Donor interventions have been poorly evaluated and evidence of success is usually limited to demonstrating increases in employment levels, with little effort made to assess the impact on conflict. The evidence on using job creation as part of an integrated or comprehensive armed conflict or AVR strategy is stronger: some government-led initiatives in countries that experience high levels of armed violence (such as Brazil and South Africa) have shown clear positive results in reducing levels of armed violence. The study finds that donor approaches to reduce armed violence through job creation schemes have become more nuanced and sophisticated. There has been a growing emphasis on ‘holistic’, ‘comprehensive’ and ‘integrated’ approaches that go beyond simply addressing a lack of economic opportunities and seek to address the more complex array of factors that cause social exclusion for young people. These initiatives combine and integrate job-creation schemes with a range of other forms of intervention, such as capacity-building and training in conflict resolution. In a similar way AVR strategies have moved beyond a narrow focus on controlling arms and reducing the demand for weapons, towards more comprehensive strategies that address a range of risk factors associated with armed violence. Donors have also sought to make job creation schemes more effective by conducting more rigorous contextual analysis. They have also looked to improve the effectiveness and relevance of these schemes by working more closely with the private sector and tackling the demand-side of youth unemployment. Despite this progress, there is a still a significant gap between donor rhetoric and practice in this area. Details: Oslo, Norway: Norwegian Peacebuilding Centre, 2010. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2011 at: http://www.gsdrc.org/docs/open/EIRS11.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.gsdrc.org/docs/open/EIRS11.pdf Shelf Number: 120717 Keywords: Armed ViolenceEconomics and CrimeEmployment and CrimeUnemployment |
Author: Gaviria, Alejandro Title: Assessing the Link Between Adolescent Fertility and Urban Crime Summary: We use data of neighborhoods of Bogotá to assess the causal relation between their adolescent fertility and their homicide rates. We find that neighborhoods with high adolescent fertility rates, and that have low secondary enrollment and high crime rates at the moment the children of their teen mothers become teenagers, are more likely to have higher homicide rates in the future, when those children reach their peak crime ages, estimated to be between 18 to 26 years old in violent cities of Colombia. We did not find evidence of a positive effect on crime when the adolescent fertility rates are either isolated, or only coupled with low school enrollment, or high crime rates. We also find that increases in the secondary school enrollment always reduce the homicide rate. The results are robust to various specifications, including measurement error corrections, and the modeling of the spatial autocorrelation of homicides. Details: Bogota, Colombia: Borradores de Economica, 2010. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper No. 594: Accessed February 9, 2011 at: http://www.banrep.gov.co/docum/ftp/borra594.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Colombia URL: http://www.banrep.gov.co/docum/ftp/borra594.pdf Shelf Number: 120733 Keywords: Crime RatesEconomics and CrimeHomicides (Bogota, Colombia)Urban Crime |
Author: Kelaher, Richard Title: Crime and Punishment Revisited Summary: Despite an abundance of empirical evidence on crime spanning over forty years, there exists no consensus on the impact of the criminal justice sys- tem on crime activity. We argue that this may be due to the combined e®ect of simultaneity, omitted variable bias and aggregation bias that may confound many of these studies. We construct a new panel data set of lo- cal government areas in Australia and develop a testing framework for the implications of economic theory on crime behaviour. The empirical results suggest that the criminal justice system can potentially exert a much greater in°uence on crime activity than is the common view in the literature. In addition, we ¯nd that increasing the risk of apprehension and conviction is more in°uential in reducing crime than raising the expected severity of punishment. Violent crime is more persistent and relatively less responsive to law enforcement policies compared to non-violent crime. Details: Sydney: University of Bydnes, Faculty of Economics and Business, 2011. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: MPRA Paper No. 28213: Accessed February 16, 2011 at: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/28213/1/MPRA_paper_28213.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/28213/1/MPRA_paper_28213.pdf Shelf Number: 120805 Keywords: DeterrenceEconomics and CrimePunishment |
Author: Kelaher, Richard Title: Crime and Punishment Revisited Summary: Despite an abundance of empirical evidence on crime spanning over forty years, there exists no consensus on the impact of the criminal justice sys- tem on crime activity. We argue that this may be due to the combined e®ect of simultaneity, omitted variable bias and aggregation bias that may confound many of these studies. We construct a new panel data set of lo- cal government areas in Australia and develop a testing framework for the implications of economic theory on crime behaviour. The empirical results suggest that the criminal justice system can potentially exert a much greater in°uence on crime activity than is the common view in the literature. In addition, we ¯nd that increasing the risk of apprehension and conviction is more in°uential in reducing crime than raising the expected severity of punishment. Violent crime is more persistent and relatively less responsive to law enforcement policies compared to non-violent crime. Details: Sydney: University of Sydney, Faculty of Economics and Business, 2011. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: MPRA Paper No. 28213: Accessed February 16, 2011 at: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/28213/1/MPRA_paper_28213.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/28213/1/MPRA_paper_28213.pdf Shelf Number: 120805 Keywords: DeterrenceEconomics and CrimePunishment |
Author: Finklea, Kristin M. Title: Economic Downturns and Crime Summary: The United States is currently in the midst of a recession that some analysts believe will be the longest-lasting economic downturn since the Great Depression. Various indicators of economic health, such as the unemployment rate and foreclosures, have reached their worst showings in decades over the past few months. The troubled state of the economy has revived the longstanding debate concerning whether economic factors can be linked to increases in the nation’s crime rates. This report examines the available research on how selected economic variables may or may not be related to crime rates. There are multiple macroeconomic indicators, such as the consumer price index or real earnings, that can serve as estimates of economic strength. Specifically, during the current economic downturn, some reference the unemployment rate and the proportion of home foreclosures as proxies for economic health. Therefore, most of the discussion in this report utilizes unemployment and foreclosure data in discussing the relationship between the economy and crime. A number of studies have analyzed the link between the unemployment rate and crime rates (with a greater focus on property crime), some theorizing that in times of economic turmoil, people may turn to illicit rather than licit means of income. However, a review by CRS found a lack of consensus concerning whether the unemployment rate has any correlation with the property crime rate. A number of studies analyzed by CRS that did find a correlation between the unemployment rate and the property crime rate generally examined time periods during which the unemployment and property crime rates moved in tandem. Conversely, some studies that used longer timehorizons tended to find no direct link between the unemployment rate and the property crime rate. The link between foreclosures and crime rates has not been reviewed as comprehensively by social scientists as other broader macroeconomic variables—namely, unemployment. Most of the literature in the field focuses on whether abandoned houses can be linked to increases in crime rather than looking at the particular role that foreclosures may play. The literature reviewed suggests that there is some correlation between abandoned houses and the property crime rate (but not, however, the violent crime rate). With respect to the relationship between foreclosures and crime rates, some of the studies found that foreclosures did have an impact on the violent crime rate (but not the property crime rate). However, the limited number of studies examining the relationship between foreclosure rates and crime rates complicates any attempt to draw firm conclusions. While much research on the relationship between economic variables and crime rates has focused on macroeconomic variables such as unemployment and home foreclosures, some research suggests that other economic variables, such as gross domestic product (GDP) or gross state product (GSP), as well as consumer sentiment, could fluctuate more closely with crime rates and could thus serve as better proxies for evaluating the relationship between the economy and crime. Policy makers continue to be concerned with potential impacts—such as increased crime — that the current economic downturn may have on the nation. As a result, some have suggested that focus should be placed on increasing the resources of state and local police departments (i.e., increasing the number of police officers). In addressing this concern, however, Congress may opt to consider whether the current downturn in the economy is in fact related to crime rates. This report will be updated as needed. Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2009. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: CRS Report 7-7500: Accessed February 18, 2011 at: http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40726_20090728.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40726_20090728.pdf Shelf Number: 119619 Keywords: Economics and CrimeHousing ForeclosuresProperty CrimesUnemployment and Crime |
Author: Spenkuch, Jorg L. Title: Understanding the Impact of Immigration on Crime Summary: Since the 1960s both crime rates and the share of immigrants among the American population have more than doubled. Almost three quarters of Americans believe immigration increases crime, yet existing academic research has shown no such effect. Using panel data on US counties from 1980 to 2000, this paper presents empirical evidence on a systematic and economically meaningful impact of immigration on crime. Consistent with the economic model of crime this effect is strongest for crimes motivated by financial gain, such as motor vehicle theft and robbery. Moreover, the effect is only present for those immigrants most likely to have poor labor market outcomes. Failure to account for the cost of increased crime would overstate the “immigration surplus” substantially, but would most likely not reverse its sign. Details: Munich: Munich Personal RePEc Archive, 2010. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: MPRA Paper No. 22864: Accessed April 28, 2011 at: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/22864/1/MPRA_paper_22864.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/22864/1/MPRA_paper_22864.pdf Shelf Number: 121382 Keywords: Economics and CrimeImmigrants and CrimeImmigration |
Author: Bagchi, Aniruddha Title: Workplace Deviance and the Business Cycle Summary: We examine the relationship between the incidence of workplace deviance (on-the-job crime) and the business cycle. A worker’s probability of future employment depends on whether she has been deviant as well as on the availability of jobs. Using a two period model we show that the net impact on deviant behaviour to changes in unemployment is ambiguous and depends on the strength of two effects. If the probability of being employed for a nondeviant improves as expected market conditions improve, then that lowers deviant behaviour, while if the deviant’s probability of being employed improves as market conditions improve, that increases deviance as market conditions improve. In either case, there is a setup cost to deviant behaviour and the attractiveness of incurring that increases with an increase in expected probability of future employment. This second effect therefore increases the incentive to be deviant and thus can reinforce the first effect or weaken it. Finally, we show that an increase in optimism i.e. the probability of facing a recession going down unambiguously increases deviant behaviour. Details: Birmingham, UK: University of Birmingham, Department of Economics, 2011. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Department of Economics Discussion Paper 11-06: Accessed May 11, 2011 at: ftp://ftp.bham.ac.uk/pub/RePEc/pdf/11-06.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 121709 Keywords: Economics and CrimeUnemployment and CrimeWorkplace CrimeWorkplace Deviance |
Author: Chen, Clara Xiaoling Title: Relative Wages and Employee Theft: Evidence from Retail Chains Summary: In this paper we examine whether, for a sample of retail chains, high levels of employee compensation can deter employee theft, an increasingly common type of fraudulent behavior. Specifically, we examine the extent to which relative wages (i.e., employee wages relative to the wages paid to employees in competing stores) affect employee theft as measured by inventory shrinkage and cash shortage. Using two storelevel datasets from the convenience store industry, we find that: (1) relative wages are negatively associated with employee theft, after we control for each store’s employee characteristics, monitoring environment, and socio-economic environment; (2) employee theft decreases in the magnitude of employees’ overpayment but does not increase in the magnitude of underpayment; and (3) coworker presence is more likely to lead to reductions in the amount of employee theft when relative wages are higher. Details: Unpublished paper, 2010. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 11, 2011 at: http://www.comiteretailfinanciero.cl/wp/wp-content/site_files/2010/08/Relative_Wages_and_Employee_Theft.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.comiteretailfinanciero.cl/wp/wp-content/site_files/2010/08/Relative_Wages_and_Employee_Theft.pdf Shelf Number: 121710 Keywords: Economics and CrimeEmployee TheftWorkplace CrimeWorkplace Deviance |
Author: Mannava, Priya Title: Dependent on Development: The Interrelationships Between Illicit Drugs and Socioeconomic Development Summary: In spite of the complex interrelationships between illicit drug production, trade and use and socioeconomic development (SED), drug control and development policies tend to occur in isolation of each other, as exemplified by the lack of inclusion of illicit drugs in the Millennium Development Goals. A failure to acknowledge the interconnections between these two areas hinders the effectiveness of both drug and development policies and also undermines a human rights based approach to both illicit drug policy and development policies and programs. 1.1 Aims of the report This report highlights the multifaceted relationships between illicit drug production, trade and use, and SED, and then demonstrates the ways in which the implementation of illicit drug control policies often hinders development sector gains; and furthermore, the ways in which many development sector policies actually increase vulnerability to illicit drug production, trade and use. By raising awareness on the links between drugs, drug policy, and SED, this paper aims to facilitate future research as well as initiate dialogue and collaboration between development and drug control agencies. 1.2 Approach & Terminology The report is based on the hypothesis that ‘Equitable SED is necessary for successful control of illicit drugs, while effective and human rights based illicit drug control is required to foster sustainable SED’. To test this hypothesis, we begin by examining the impact of SED on illicit drug production, trade, and consumption, and then conversely the affect of the three processes on SED. In so doing, we consider ‘illicit drug production/trade/consumption’ and ‘SED’ as independent variables, and expect that outcomes will hold true for diverse settings at various times and for different drugs. We also note that we are exploring associations rather than causality, expecting that there will be limited, and largely anecdotal, evidence available – at least these early formative research stages. Here, we define ‘socioeconomic development’ as the processes of social and economic development in a society, whereby the ‘socio-’ in socioeconomic development consists of “social change designed to promote the well-being of a population as a whole” (Midgley 2005) while the ‘economic’ refers to “qualitative change and restructuring in a country’s economy in connection with technological and social progress” (World Bank definition). ‘Control’ is referred to here as the processes undertaken in order to minimize the harms associated with the availability and use of drugs in a community at a given point of time. In line with the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime, ‘illicit drugs’ are defined as drugs produced, traded, and consumed for purposes prohibited by law, as outlined by the international drug control conventions. 1.3 Methods We conducted a review of formal and non-formal English language literature published between 1990 and 2010 on the relationships between illicit drug production, trade, and consumption, illicit drug policies, SED, and human rights. 2. Sizing the problem: illicit drugs – an overview 2.1 The need to control Policies and programs that aim to control or eradicate illicit drugs have been justified by the real and potential harms associated with illicit drugs: health problems, crime, decreased productivity, unemployment, and poverty. An international drug control system, based on three international conventions, specifies the types of illicit drugs and how these should be regulated. Despite control efforts, supply and demand of illicit drugs continue to be widespread. 2.2 The extent of illicit drug use, production, and trading. Noting the difficulties in measuring indicators related to illicit drugs, it is estimated that around 3.5% to 5.7% of the world’s populations aged between 15 to 64 years (155 to 250 million) consumes illicit drugs. Consumption continues to be higher in the wealthier regions of North America, Western Europe, and Oceania, though sharp rises in use are being witnessed in East and West Africa, the Middle East, and South America. Production of opium, which increased by 80% between 1998 and 2009, is highest in Afghanistan, which accounted for 60% of the world’s supply during the same period. Supply of cocaine, largely produced in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru, was reported to have increased during the period of 2004 to 2007 as compared to earlier years, though the increase was not as dramatic as that of opium. Production of cannabis, the most widely produced illicit drug globally, and amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) is prevalent in countries world-over. The illicit drug trade is also widespread, though data on seizures suggest the problem is more acute in those surrounding nations where illicit drug production or consumption is high. 2.3 Understanding demand and supply Demand and supply of illicit drugs are influenced by many interrelated and complex factors. Various intrapersonal, micro-environmental, and macro-environmental elements create vulnerabilities to the use of illicit drugs, while the employment opportunities and profits arising from illicit drug production and trading act as incentives to supply. There are thus broader socioeconomic issues which impact on engagement with illicit drug economies. 3. The interrelationships between socioeconomic development and illicit drugs 3.1 Impact of socioeconomic development on illicit drugs Both poor SED and enhanced SED can fuel illicit drug production, trade and consumption. Rural underdevelopment, conflict and economic crises are all factors that contribute to farming of illicit drug crops. Characteristics of plant-based illicit drugs mean that these crops are often a more viable option than licit ones in settings of poor SED. In countries ranging from Afghanistan to Colombia, to Morocco and Myanmar, evidence suggests that regions cultivating illicit drug crops are geographically and/or socially isolated, underdeveloped with few economic opportunities, and may also be plagued by violent conflict. Conflict, and the resultant instability, not only helps to facilitate and proliferate illicit drug economies, but in turn, often sustains the conflict – creating a mutually reinforcing cycle. In countries such as Afghanistan, Colombia, and Myanmar, rebel and pro-government forces have used illicit drug economies to finance their activities. Conditions which contribute to weak SED such as unemployment, poverty, and marginalization may also create vulnerable environments for illicit drug use in both wealthy and less developed countries. For example, in the United States and United Kingdom, illicit drug use has been linked to socially and economically deprived urban settings. Similarly, studies in various countries of South America found that drug users were generally poorer, unemployed, and less educated. On the flip side, processes such as trade liberalization may in fact facilitate the flow of illicit drugs across borders. Though the type of association that exists between free trade and illicit drugs is yet to be understood, a modeling study suggests that in consuming countries, efforts to control trading may be hindered by free-trade policies. Modernization and the resultant change in values or norms that often accompanies SED may also lead to increased consumption of illicit drugs. In Indonesia and Pakistan, for instance, illicit drug use increased with newfound wealth and youth identifying themselves with images of Western popular culture. Within the socially marginalized Akha tribe in Laos, consumption of heroin and ATS increased following participation in the country’s market economy and in parallel with the country’s opium eradication program. 3.2. Impact of illicit drugs on socioeconomic development Simultaneously, illicit drug production, trade and consumption also affect SED. In the short-term, farmers and other members of impoverished communities benefit from illicit drug production and trade due to increased disposable income. At the national level, there may be a boost in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reduced unemployment, and multiplier effects in other sectors, either due to increased expenditure in local markets or increased demand for production inputs of illicit drugs. For instance, a study dating back to the early 1990s found that a 10% increase in cocaine production in Bolivia resulted in a 2% increase in GDP and 6% decrease in unemployment. In Colombia, multiplier effects arising from the illicit drug economy helped to fuel growth in the property market. However, most of these short-term benefits are offset by the myriad of long-term adverse affects triggered by illicit drug economies. Firstly, the sheer volumes of money flowing from illicit drug economies help to encourage corruption. In several settings, there are reports of government and law enforcement officials turning a blind eye to illicit drugs in exchange for bribes. Secondly, social structures are disrupted as carers, such as single mothers or the income earner of the family, engage in risky trading of illicit drugs. As members of communities who participate in drug economies become richer, tensions in traditional power dynamics are created, thereby disrupting social harmony. Macroeconomic instability may also occur as a result of decreased investment in licit sectors, strengthening of the real exchange rate, and weakened effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policies. The evidence to support these findings, however, is more limited. Violence and conflict between drug gangs, as well as between gangs and members of law enforcement, causes substantial mortality and morbidity while also isolating communities. In Mexico for example, drug-related killings have reached 28,000 over the past four years. In the United States, homicide rates have fluctuated in tandem with crack cocaine markets in cities where consumption is high and market sizes are substantial. There are considerable health costs associated with illicit drug use; for example, injecting drug use accounts for 10% of all HIV infections worldwide, and 30% outside sub-Saharan Africa. Drug users are also likely to be less productive; a study by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 5 different countries found that occupational injuries were 2-4 times higher and absenteeism 2-3 times greater amongst drug users as compared to non-drug users. The relationships between illicit drug economies and SED are thus two-way and simultaneous. Causality is more difficult to determine given that illicit drug economies and factors that contribute to SED can interact in a mutually reinforcing cycle. Corruption, violence and conflict can for example facilitate illicit drug production, trade and consumption, which in turn can sustain corruption, violence and conflict. 4. Paradox on paradox: effects of illicit drug control policy on socioeconomic development International and national illicit drug control policies have traditionally focused on reducing demand and supply of illicit drugs. Policies that focus on minimizing the harms associated with drug use are increasingly being adopted by many nation states. Supply side policies comprise traditional law enforcement approaches, including attempts to eradicate illicit drug cultivation and production; this latter approach sometimes accompanied by ‘alternative development’ programs that focus on providing other economic opportunities to communities that farm illicit drugs. To date, evidence suggests that these policies have been largely ineffective in deterring cultivation of illicit drug crops, as supply of various drugs has either been maintained or increased. In response to eradication programs in Colombia and Mexico, for instance, farmers simply shifted to farming opium on smaller and more dispersed fields. These policies have largely been unsuccessful in part because of the weak acknowledgement of the fact that illicit drugs and associated harms are often a result of a broader range of political, cultural and socioeconomic factors. By adopting approaches that are guided by narrowly defined goals and are not based on the political, social or cultural realties of a particular development context, law enforcement and eradication attempts actually cause further, multiple, harms and thereby weaken SED in communities. Examples from coca-producing Andean countries, as well as from Afghanistan and Myanmar where opium poppy cultivation is widespread, show how law enforcement and eradication programs actually wipe out the livelihoods of poor farmers social and economically disadvantaged communities. With few viable economic opportunities available, these households often resort again to farming of illicit drugs, simply from survival necessity. Successful alternative development programs are rare, although in Thailand a long-term (highly subsidized) approach has met with some success. Interdiction – programs aimed at reducing or stopping trading – has contributed to a diversification of smuggling routes, often to countries where law enforcement is weak. For example, the low-income country of Guinea Bissau has become a new trading corridor for drugs being smuggled to Europe. Ironically, a systematic review that found a positive correlation existed between increased law enforcement and increases in violence and crime. This is explained in part by the fact that law enforcement activities can create a riskier environment in which illicit drug trading and dealing occurs, making the situation more volatile and prone to drug gang power dynamics when members or leaders are arrested. There is even less evidence available on the impacts of demand side policies, which include primary prevention of drug use (mass media campaigns, community based programs, and education), treatment (secondary prevention), and law enforcement. While studies on the effectiveness of treatment for drug users have found that it helps reduce crime and risky injecting behavior, stringent law enforcement practices directed against drug users have only served to increase risky behavior, shift patterns in drug use, and deter health seeking. Studies examining the impact of law enforcement on drug use in Vancouver and Sydney found that drug use did not decrease, but riskier forms of use did. Following a ‘war on drugs’ campaign in Thailand, drug users reported increased reluctance to seek healthcare. Thus, social and economic costs to society are only sustained or even intensified, and are therefore likely to negatively impact SED. Harm reduction (policies and programs aimed at reducing harms associated with drug use) encompasses many components in immediate impact, harm reduction as currently defined is cost effective and has positive impacts on social development. There is a need for harm reduction approaches to be further developed and integrated, and be more broadly defined so they can have more impact across the range of drug issues. Studies suggest that benefits include: reduced risky drug use behavior, decreased transmission of HIV, safer disposal of injecting equipment, and less public nuisance. These findings indicate that social and health costs to societies may thus be reduced, thereby helping to enhance SED. 5. The forgotten victim: human rights Not only do some illicit drug policies have potential negative impacts on SED, but they also lead to violation of human rights. Eliminating families’ main source of income without creating viable alternatives robs them of their livelihood and dignity. Harsh law enforcement and militaristic approaches to controlling supply and demand of illicit drugs have had serious human rights implications, with physical abuse, sexual assault, public humiliation, denial of legal representation, and mortality being reported in the name of law enforcement. Moreover, in many countries, drug users are forced to undergo ‘treatment’ which is not evidenced-based. Stringent drug laws have often been used as an excuse to discriminate against poor and marginalized groups of society, especially ethnic minorities. Worldwide, drug users continue to be discriminated against, and are denied treatment and other social rights on the basis of their consumption of drugs. 6. Conclusions The interrelationships between illicit drug economies and SED are real and complex. Factors linked to SED may lead to or deter engagement with illicit drugs, while illicit drug economies negatively impact on SED in the long-term, despite possible shortterm benefits. By not acknowledging these linkages, illicit drug policies which focus solely on reducing demand and supply through law enforcement or forceful measures have often had consequences that adversely impact on SED, and also violate human rights – causing more harm than the drugs themselves. Thus, our original hypothesis that illicit drug policies are development policies are interdependent holds true based on the evidence available. The limitations of our review must be recognized. Our findings are based on limited evidence, which includes very few quantitative and detailed studies on the interrelationships, as well as a lack of rigorous evaluations of drug control programs. Our expectation of limited data availability was therefore also validated. In addition, there are inherent issues with determining impact of and on SED, and in this study we have assumed impact based on anecdotal and qualitative information rather than modeling or quantitative analyses. Having said this, our review substantiates the need for greater collaboration between illicit drug control and development agencies. It is imperative for development agencies and governments of developing and transitional countries to investigate and account for the impact of development on vulnerabilities to drug production, trade, and use. All aspects of development, ranging from infrastructure projects to education programs, especially if donor funded, must consider implications for illicit drug production, trade, and use, as is currently done with respect to poverty, the environment or gender dynamics. At the same time, current illicit drug policies need review in light of their inequitable and damaging effects in relation to social development. While acknowledgement of the link between both fields has been increasing, further research in the area will help to provide a stronger base for advocacy to ensure that theory is translated into practice. Details: Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2011 at: http://www.countthecosts.org/sites/default/files/Dependent-on-Development.pdf Year: 0 Country: International URL: http://www.countthecosts.org/sites/default/files/Dependent-on-Development.pdf Shelf Number: 121880 Keywords: Drug Control PoliciesDrug EnforcementDrug TradeDrug TraffickingDrugs Abuse and AddictionEconomics and CrimeGangsPovertySocioeconomic Development |
Author: Beckert, Jens Title: In the Shadow: Illegal Markets and Economic Sociology Summary: Illegal markets differ from legal markets in many respects. Although illegal markets have economic significance and are of theoretical importance, they have been largely ignored by economic sociology. In this article we propose a categorization for illegal markets and highlight reasons why certain markets are outlawed. We perform a comprehensive review of the literature to characterize illegal markets along the three coordination problems of value creation, competition, and cooperation. The article concludes by appealing to economic sociology to strengthen research on illegal markets and by suggesting areas for future empirical research. Details: Cologne, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, 2011. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: MPIfG Discussion Paper 11/9: Accessed August 5, 2011 at: http://www.mpifg.de/pu/mpifg_dp/dp11-9.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.mpifg.de/pu/mpifg_dp/dp11-9.pdf Shelf Number: 122306 Keywords: Economics and CrimeIllegal MarketsIllegal Trade |
Author: Di Tella, Rafael Title: Free to Punish? The American Dream and the Harsh Treatment of Criminals Summary: We describe the evolution of selective aspects of punishment in the US over the period 1980-2004. We note that imprisonment increased around 1980, a period that coincides with the “Reagan revolution” in economic matters. We build an economic model where beliefs about economic opportunities and beliefs about punishment are correlated. We present three pieces of evidence (across countries, within the US and an experimental exercise) that are consistent with the model. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Eocnomic Research, 2011. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper Series; Working Paper 17309: Accessed August 22, 2011 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w17309.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w17309.pdf Shelf Number: 122429 Keywords: Economics and CrimeIncarceration RatesPunishment (U.S.)Sentencing |
Author: Kego, Walter Title: Organized Crime and the Financial Crisis: Recent Trends in the Baltic Sea Region Summary: The financial crisis has affected not only the economies of countries in the Baltic Sea Region. It also provided a golden opportunity for organized crime groups to expand their activities. This book presents analyses by leading criminologists on how these groups have been able to take advantage of the crisis. Using a wide range of information and statistical data, the six case studies reveal the extent to which organized crime groups have infiltrated societies and pose a severe threat not only to individuals but also the state. Countries profiled include: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden. Details: Stockholm: Institute for Security and Development Policy, 2011. 153p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2011 at: http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2011_kego-leijonmarck-molcean_organized-crime-and-the-financial-crisis.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2011_kego-leijonmarck-molcean_organized-crime-and-the-financial-crisis.pdf Shelf Number: 122625 Keywords: Economic CrimesEconomics and CrimeOrganized Crime |
Author: United Nations. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Title: Exploring Policy Linkages Between Poverty, Crime and Violence: A Look at Three Caribbean States Summary: Crime and violence threaten individual safety and affect the social, economic and political life of a country and its citizens. As one of the most critical issues affecting Caribbean societies today, crime and violence have a significant impact on the achievement of development goals. Lower levels of life satisfaction, the erosion of social capital, intergenerational transmission of violence and higher mortality and morbidity rates are just some of the nonmonetary costs of crime and violence. Direct monetary costs include medical, legal, policing, prisons, foster care and private security. This discussion paper seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge on crime and violence through an exploration of the possible policy linkages between poverty, crime and violence, using data from Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. It does so against the backdrop of increasing concern for the impact of violence on the social and economic development and human welfare of Caribbean societies. In addition to the primary objective of exploring the policy and programming linkages between poverty reduction programming and that aimed at reducing crime and violence, the study includes an overview of crime and poverty statistics in the three countries under investigation as well as a review of literature which examines the crime, violence and poverty nexus. Finally the paper seeks to generate discussion regarding future research that could inform public policy in this sensitive area. Details: Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: ECLAC, 2008. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2011 at: http://www.eclac.org/publicaciones/xml/2/33252/L.172.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Trinidad and Tobago URL: http://www.eclac.org/publicaciones/xml/2/33252/L.172.pdf Shelf Number: 131584 Keywords: Economics and CrimePoverty (Caribbean)Social CapitalViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) Title: Crime Trends and Leading Practices Survey Summary: The Retail Industry Leaders Association’s (RILA) Crime Trends and Leading Practices Survey was launched in December 2008 in an effort to measure the correlation between criminal activity and the economic downturn among the nation’s leading retailers. RILA has continued to monitor crime trends, conducting follow-up surveys in May 2009, January 2010 and August 2010. In August 2010, the survey was expanded to solicit feedback from retailers regarding effective criminal risk mitigation tools as part of an industry-wide collaborative effort to combat retail crime. Survey participants were asked to report measured or perceived changes in crimes perpetrated against retailers over the past year and to share leading practices for minimizing business risks. Reflective of RILA’s membership, respondents represented all retail segments: building/garden equipment, clothing/accessories, food/beverage, furniture/electronics/appliances, general merchandise, motor vehicles/parts, Sporting goods/hobby /books/music and miscellaneous. Details: Arlington, VA: Retail Industry Leaders Association, 2011. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 18, 2011 at: http://www.rila.org/email/FINALPRESSRILACrimeTrendsLeadingPracticesSurveyFinalOctober2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.rila.org/email/FINALPRESSRILACrimeTrendsLeadingPracticesSurveyFinalOctober2011.pdf Shelf Number: 123046 Keywords: Crimes Against BusinessesEconomics and CrimeHot ProductsOrganized Retail CrimeRetail CrimeShopliftingStolen GoodsTheft |
Author: Altindag, Duha T. Title: Crime and Unemployment: Evidence from Europe Summary: This paper investigates the impact of unemployment on crime using a country-level panel data set from Europe that contains consistently-measured crime statistics. Unemployment has a positive influence on property crimes. Using earthquakes, industrial accidents and exchange rate movements as instruments for the unemployment rate, it finds that 2SLS point estimates are not significantly larger than OLS estimates. The unemployment rate is decomposed into various components according to gender, education and duration of unemployment. The influence of the overall unemployment rate on crime is mainly driven by the unemployment of males, the poorly-educated and the long-term unemployed. Details: Auburn, AL: Auburn University, Department of Economics, 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Auburn University Department of Economics Working Paper Series; http://cla.auburn.edu/econwp/Archives/2011/2011-13.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Europe URL: http://cla.auburn.edu/econwp/Archives/2011/2011-13.pdf Shelf Number: 123091 Keywords: Crime and Unemployment (Europe)Economics and CrimeEmployment |
Author: Nunley, John M. Title: The Impact of Macroeconomic Conditions on Property Crime Summary: This paper examines the impact of inflation, (un)employment, and stock market growth on the rates of larceny, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and robbery. The study uses U.S. data for the time period 1948 to 2009. We employ an unobserved component approach to circumvent the problems associated with omitted variables. We find that the three macroeconomic variables have a statistically significant impact for most of the property crime rates. However, taken together the macroeconomic variables explain no more than 15 percent of the surge in property crimes from the 1960 to the 1980s and their subsequent fall during the 1990s. Among the macroeconomic variables, almost all of the explanatory power is provided by changes in the inflation rate. Details: Auburn, AL: Auburn University, 2011. 35p. Department of Economics Source: Internet Resource: Auburn University Department of Economics Working Paper Series: Accessed October 22, 2011 at: http://cla.auburn.edu/econwp/Archives/2011/2011-06.pdf Year: 0 Country: United States URL: http://cla.auburn.edu/econwp/Archives/2011/2011-06.pdf Shelf Number: 123092 Keywords: BurglaryEconomics and CrimeLarcenyMotor Vehicle TheftProperty CrimeRobberyUnemployment and Crime123092 |
Author: Nunley, John M. Title: Demographic Change, Macroeconomic Conditions, and the Murder Rate: The Case of the United States, 1934 to 2006 Summary: Fluctuations in aggregate crime rates contrary to recent shifts in the age distribution of the U.S. population have cast doubt on the predictive power of the age-crime hypothesis. By examining a longer time horizon, back to the early 1930s,, we show that the percentage of the young population is a robust predictor of the observed large swings in the U.S. murder rate over time. However, changes in the misery index — the sum of the inflation and unemployment rates — significantly contribute to explaining changes in the murder rate. This applies, in particular, to those changes that are at odds with the long-run trend of the U.S. age distribution, such as the decline in the murder rate in the latter part of the 1970s or its increase starting around the middle of the 1980s. Details: Auburn, AL: Auburn University, 2010. 20p. Department of Economics, Source: Internet Resource: Auburn University Department of Economics Working Paper Series: Accessed October 22, 2011 at: http://cla.auburn.edu/econwp/Archives/2010/2010-04.pdf Year: 0 Country: United States URL: http://cla.auburn.edu/econwp/Archives/2010/2010-04.pdf Shelf Number: 123093 Keywords: Crime RatesEconomics and CrimeHomicideMurderUnemployment and Crime |
Author: U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Title: The Impact of the Economic Downturn on American Police Agencies Summary: The economic downturn of the past several years has been devastating to local economies and, by extension, their local law enforcement agencies. According to a report by the National Institute of Justice, the United States is currently experiencing the 10th economic decline since World War II. The impact of this downturn will result in a change of how law enforcement services are delivered. As has been discussed by the COPS Office Director, Bernard Melekian, in a series of recent articles published in the Community Policing Dispatch, expectations will not be lowered just because an agency now has fewer officers, or because the budget is limited. Simply doing less while waiting for local budgets to recover to pre-2008 levels is not a viable option. Faced with a dramatic budget contraction, law enforcement leaders need to start identifying different ways to deliver police services and, perhaps more importantly, articulate what the new public safety models will look like to their communities. The effects of the economic downturn on law enforcement agencies may be felt for the next 5–10 years, or worse, permanently. The permanence of this change will be driven not just by the economy, but by the local government officials determining that allocating 30–50 percent of their general fund budgets for public safety costs is no longer a fiscal possibility. While some people see signs that the economy is beginning to recover on the national level, most economists agree that local jurisdictions are still in decline and will continue to be so, at least in the short term. County and municipal budgets tend to lag behind the general economy and continuing foreclosures are slowing the recovery of property tax revenues, which are the backbone of local agency funding. Faced with these budget realities, the current model for service delivery — which has been with us for the last 50 years — is already starting to change, and will be forced to continue to change dramatically and rapidly in the next 3–5 years. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2011. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2011 at: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e101113406_Economic%20Impact.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e101113406_Economic%20Impact.pdf Shelf Number: 123204 Keywords: Community PolicingEconomics and CrimeExpendituresPolice AdministrationPolice Budgets |
Author: Cramer, Christopher Title: Unemployment and Participation in Violence Summary: How are unemployment and violence linked? Ideas about this link are driven by an OECD literature on crime, gangs and unemployment and by recent economic models of developing country ‘civil wars’. These ideas are commonly linked with an increasing interest in the age-structure of demography in developing countries, in particular the observation of a common ‘youth bulge’. There is a very widespread view that youth unemployment is a key cause of insurgency or civil war. This is despite the fact that there is barely any reliable evidence on youth unemployment for any developing country. Running through many assumptions about the role of labour markets, and in particular unemployment, in causing violence and violent conflict, is the influence of the “economic approach” championed by Gary Becker with respect to crime and punishment initially and then by others including Jack Hirshleifer. This paper first sets out the main features of the economic approach to the study of violence in developing countries, as a special class of economic approaches to an increasingly wide circle of social phenomena. The paper then shows that there are other analytical approaches to studying labour market participation and its links to violent behaviour – in wars and in other forms of violence, including domestic violence. From a range of analytical sources, it becomes clear that there is a rich body of work on the reasons why there may be a variety of relationships between employment, unemployment, and violence. This paper argues that it is not wise simply to read off violent outcomes from given degrees of demographic bulge or, indeed, from given labour market figures and argues that there are no grounds empirically for the commonly made claims that there is a strong, automatic causal connection from unemployment, underemployment, or low productivity employment to violence and war. The implications are: that there are other grounds for acting to protect the lives and improve the prospects of those very large numbers of people vulnerable to appalling working conditions, to un- and under-employment, to poor health and premature death, to violence, and to extreme poverty; that specific variables, such as unemployment, typically have rather complex implications for violent outcomes; and that labour market and economic policy, if they are to be a part of efforts to reduce violence, cannot be reduced to policies designed simply to maximise the number of work opportunities available at however competitive or apparently market clearing a wage rate. Above all, perhaps, the implication of the work reviewed in this paper is that we still know too little empirically, let alone theoretically, about the relationships between labour market participation, institutions and relations and violence. In particular, the rapid growth of interest among development economists in the past twenty years or so in violent conflict and its aftermath in developing countries has made many advances but has devoted very little attention to labour markets. Details: Washington, DC: World Bank, 2010. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: World Development Report 2011 Background Paper: Accessed November 19, 2011 at: http://wdr2011.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/WDR%20Background%20Paper%20-%20Cramer.pdf?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=600&width=800 Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://wdr2011.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/WDR%20Background%20Paper%20-%20Cramer.pdf?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=600&width=800 Shelf Number: 123413 Keywords: Economic Conditions and ViolenceEconomics and CrimeUnemployment and Crime |
Author: Mocan, Naci H. Title: Skill-biased Technological Change, Earnings of Unskilled Workers, and Crime Summary: This paper investigates the impact of unskilled (non-college educated) workers’ earnings on crime. Following the literature on wage inequality and skill-biased technological change, we employ CPS data to create state-year as well as state-year-and (broad) industry specific measures of skill-biased technological change, which are then used as instruments for unskilled workers’ earnings in crime regressions. Regressions that employ state panels reveal that technology-induced variations in unskilled workers’ earnings impact property crime with an elasticity of -1.0, but that wages have no impact on violent crime. Estimating structural crime equations using micro panel data from NLSY97 and instrumenting real wages of young workers with state-year-industry specific technology shocks yields elasticities that are in the neighborhood of -1.7 for most types of property crime. In both data sets there is evidence for asymmetric impact of unskilled workers’ earnings on crime. A decline in earnings has a larger effect on crime in comparison to an increase in earnings by the same absolute value. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2011. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper Series; Working Paper 17605: Accessed November 23, 2011 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w17605 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w17605 Shelf Number: 123442 Keywords: Economics and CrimeEducation and CrimeEmployment and Crime |
Author: Almen, Daniel Title: Long Term Unemployment and Violent Crimes - Using Post-2000 Data to Reinvestigate the Relationship Between Unemployment and Crime Summary: This study reinvestigates the relationship between unemployment and crime. By being the first study to use long-term unemployment, it contributes unique findings. Moreover, with a Swedish panel consisting of 288 municipalities and annual data from 1997 to 2009, the relationship is investigated for the first time with aggregate post-2000 data. The results show that long-term unemployment exhibits a strong association with violent crimes in addition to property crimes, highlighting a potential gap in the conventional theories of economics of crime. The point-estimate of long-term unemployment for violent crimes is between 1.5 and 4, and for property crimes it is between 1.3 and 2.3. Thus, long-term unemployment identifies a marginal group for committing crimes, particularly violent crimes, better than total unemployment does. Long-term unemployment plausibly creates a feeling of alienation that fosters violent and other non-rational behaviors. Details: Lund, Sweden: Department of Economics, Lund University, 2011. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Papers, Department of Economics, Lund University, No. 2011:34: Accessed November 23, 2011 at: http://www.nek.lu.se/publications/workpap/papers/WP11_34.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Sweden URL: http://www.nek.lu.se/publications/workpap/papers/WP11_34.pdf Shelf Number: 123446 Keywords: Economics and CrimeUnemployment and Crime (Sweden)Violent Crime |
Author: Madensen, Tamara D. Title: The Impact of Foreclosures on Neighborhood Crime in Nevada, 2006-09 Summary: This State Data Brief provides an examination of foreclosures in Nevada and the impact of these events on crime in Nevada neighborhoods. The distribution of foreclosures across neighborhoods, the characteristics of high foreclosure neighborhoods, and the impact of foreclosures on neighborhood crime between 2006 and 2009 are examined. The findings and related policy implications are discussed in light of theoretical frameworks that help to explain the observed outcomes. Details: Las Vegas, NV: Center for Analysis of Crime Statistics, Department of Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2011. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: State Data Brief: Accessed January 20, 2012 at: http://cacs.unlv.edu/SDBs/Foreclosures/Foreclosures%20in%20Nevada%202006-09%20v4.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://cacs.unlv.edu/SDBs/Foreclosures/Foreclosures%20in%20Nevada%202006-09%20v4.pdf Shelf Number: 123685 Keywords: Economics and CrimeHousing Foreclosures (Nevada)Neighborhoods and CrimeProperty Crime |
Author: Fallesen, Peter Title: The Effect of Workfare Policy on Crime Summary: In this paper, we estimate the effect of Danish workfare policy on crime by exploiting two exogenous welfare policy changes. First, we use a unique policy experiment that began in 1987 by an innovative mayor of the Danish city of Farum, where he imposed a 100 % work or training requirement for all welfare recipients immediately from the date of enrollment. By comparing the changes in crime rates among the unemployment uninsured workers, who are potential welfare recipients, in Farum before and after 1987 with that of the rest of Denmark, we identify the effect of workfare on the crime rate. Second, we examine the effect of a series of national welfare reforms introduced during the 1990s. Those reforms strengthened the work requirement for the welfare recipients younger than 30 and were introduced gradually, starting with younger people rst. We exploit the di erential introduction of workfare across different age groups and the difference in municipality level enforcement as the exogenous variation. Our results show a dramatic decline in the arrest rate among unemployment uninsured after the introduction of the stronger workfare requirements, both in Farum and at the national level. But we found no policy effect on the unemployment insured, who do not receive welfare when unemployed. Those results imply a strong and signi cant crime reducing effect of the workfare policy. Details: Kingston, ONT: Department of Economics, Queen's University, 2011. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: http://qed.econ.queensu.ca/pub/faculty/imai/papers/Farum2.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Denmark URL: http://qed.econ.queensu.ca/pub/faculty/imai/papers/Farum2.pdf Shelf Number: 123769 Keywords: Economics and CrimeEmployment and CrimePublic Welfare and Economic Assistance (Denmark)Unemployment |
Author: Orr, Benjamin Title: Labor Market Trends in the District of Columbia Summary: It has long been understood that employment and crime are related in various ways. Occupation in conventional employment limits the time available for committing crime. When employed, people also have more to lose from criminal justice involvement. When unemployed, people sometimes substitute illegitimate earnings for legitimate earnings. In addition, a criminal record can bar participation in important segments of the labor market. In view of the links between employment and crime, this brief examines the local labor market in the District of Columbia. Details: Washington, DC: District of Columbia Crime Policy Institute, Urban Institute, 2011. 5p. Source: Brief No. 11. Internet Resource: Accessed on January 26, 2012 at http://www.dccrimepolicy.org/Briefs/images/Labor-Markets-9-14-11_2.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.dccrimepolicy.org/Briefs/images/Labor-Markets-9-14-11_2.pdf Shelf Number: 123781 Keywords: Demographic TrendsEconomics and CrimeEmployment |
Author: Denmark. Rockwool Foundation Research Unit. Title: Criminals pay a high price after completing sentences Summary: The sentence in the court is: "You will go to prison for four months, and then pay a fine of 15% of your earnings each month for the rest of your life." No such harsh and unusual sentence has ever been pronounced in a Danish court, but nevertheless that is precisely the punishment that a criminal can look forward to in Denmark if he or she ends up in prison. New research from the Rockwool Foundation Research Unit shows that criminals have a great deal more punishment awaiting them after their release from prison: a form of indirect punishment. No sentence to such punishment has been handed down, but it is no less real and immediate for all that. According to Torben Tranaes, Research Director at the Rockwool Foundation Research Unit, this additional punishment lies in the greater difficulty offenders experience in finding work than they had before the crime and punishment took place, and the greater difficulty they have in re-establishing and maintaining the same level of income as before. The analysis shows that this indirect punishment is relatively heavy in Denmark, compared for example with similar punishment in the USA. The Danish analysis was based on the incomes of all those who received their first unconditional prison sentence in the period 1994-2003. Details of the analysis are presented in a Rockwool Foundation Research Unit book entitled Forbryderen og samfundet (The offender and society) (Gyldendal, 2008), which also contains details of research into the consequences of crime for relationships and into the connection between unemployment and crime. The Danish book is summarized in the newsletter. Details: Copenhagen, Denmark: Rockwool Foundation Research Unit, 2010. 12p. Source: Rockwool Foundation Research Unit Newsletter: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2012 at http://www.rff.dk/files/RFF-site/Publikations%20upload/Newsletters/Engelsk/2010_April_eng_sik.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.rff.dk/files/RFF-site/Publikations%20upload/Newsletters/Engelsk/2010_April_eng_sik.pdf Shelf Number: 124105 Keywords: Economics and CrimePunishmentSentencing (Denmark) (U.S.)Unemployment and Crime |
Author: Yikona, Stuart Title: Ill-gotten Money and the Economy: Experiences from Malawi and Namibia Summary: Over the last 20 years, the international community has significantly stepped up its efforts to prevent, detect, and deter money flows related to criminal activities and terrorism financing. Since the early 2000s, this drive has extended to developing countries, with most of them introducing anti-money laundering (AML) policies. The primary driver behind this is law enforcement; these policies are aimed at detecting and tracing flows of ill-gotten money, which would enable authorities to fight and prevent crime and recover assets of crime, corruption, and tax evasion. Insufficient attention has been paid to the economic side of ill-gotten money and the efforts to combat such flows, particularly in developing countries. Why is it critical for them, and what is the case for combating the flows of ill-gotten money in countries severely constrained by a lack of resources and limited technical capacity to implement a full AML-framework? Moreover, why are ill-gotten proceeds relevant to the issue of economic development? What is the magnitude of the ill-gotten money flows from activities that generate such flows? Added to this are concerns that anti-money laundering policies may at times actually jeopardize certain development objectives, such as access to finance for poor people. The core objective of this study is to introduce economics into the international debate about anti-money laundering, and to introduce the idea of the usefulness and effectiveness of such policies. We also hope that we might be able to bridge the gap between the law enforcement and economist communities. Indeed, the 2011 World Development Report (WDR) on conflict, security, and development provides us with a critical framework to think through the link between organized crime and development from an economic perspective. The study focuses on two developing countries: Malawi, a low-income country, and Namibia, a middle-income country. The central questions asked are: Why are “proceeds of crime” relevant for economic development? Do “proceeds of crime” and related policy responses help or harm economic development? One critical step in such analysis is to obtain a better understanding of the magnitude of the domestic or cross-border sources of ill-gotten money in a country: how it is recycled through the economy and across its borders or spent and invested. Only then is it possible to discuss the economic effects of the circulation and allocation of ill-gotten money in developing countries and the economic impact of the underlying activities. While not intended to be exhaustive or definitive, this study is meant to contribute to a better understanding and quantification of the issues relevant to the proceeds of crime and economic development. For practical and operational purposes, and to be grounded in country specifics, this study only focuses on Malawi and Namibia. However, it is hoped that the approach developed in this study will be useful to other developing-country governments in identifying the main sources and magnitude of the flows of ill-gotten money, and the main recycling patterns and their effects on the economy. Such a framework will help governments in developing countries to systematically analyze the potential impact of AML and design and prioritize AML policies. The findings presented in this study are based on an extensive literature research; World Bank discussions with numerous public- and private-sector officials and representatives of the Governments of Malawi and Namibia during a Bank mission in November 2010; and workshops conducted in both countries in February 2011 to obtain feedback on the preliminary findings. In conducting this study, the team adopted an interactive approach. This was critical because mobilization of local expertise is essential not only in establishing a complete picture of current and future AML challenges, but also in designing policy considerations that subsequently are widely supported. Details: Washington, DC: The World Bank, 2012. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2012 at: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2011/10/31/000386194_20111031015900/Rendered/PDF/651760PUB0EPI100money09780821388877.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Africa URL: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2011/10/31/000386194_20111031015900/Rendered/PDF/651760PUB0EPI100money09780821388877.pdf Shelf Number: 124132 Keywords: CorruptionEconomic DevelopmentEconomics and CrimeFinancial CrimesMoney Laundering (Malawi, Namibia)Organized CrimeProceeds of crimeTax Evasion |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: Monitoring the impact of economic crisis on crime Summary: Within the context of the United Nations Global Pulse initiative on monitoring the impact of crisis on vulnerable populations, this report presents the results of a unique cross-national analysis that aims to investigate the possible effects of economic stress on crime. Using police-recorded crime data for the crimes of intentional homicide, robbery and motor vehicle theft, from fifteen country or city contexts across the world, the analysis examines in particular the period of global financial crisis in 2008/2009. As economic crisis may occur over a relatively short timescale, this period, as well as – in many cases – up to 20 years previously, are examined using high frequency (monthly) crime and economic data. The report finds that, whether in times of economic crisis or non-crisis, economic factors play an important role in the evolution of crime trends. Out of a total of fifteen countries examined, statistical modelling identifies an economic predictor for at least one crime type in twelve countries (80 percent), suggesting some overall association between economic changes and crime. In eleven of the fifteen countries examined, economic indicators showed significant changes suggestive of a period of economic crisis in 2008/2009. Both visual inspection of data series and statistical modelling suggest that in eight of these eleven ‘crisis’ countries, changes in economic factors were associated with changes in crime, leading to identifiable crime ‘peaks’ during the time of crisis. Violent property crime types such as robbery appeared most affected during times of crisis, with up to two-fold increases in some contexts during a period of economic stress. However, in some contexts, increases in homicide and motor vehicle theft were also observed. These findings are consistent with criminal motivation theory, which suggests that economic stress may increase the incentive for individuals to engage in illicit behaviours. In no case where it was difficult to discern a peak in crime was any decrease in crime observed. As such, the available data do not support a criminal opportunity theory that decreased levels of production and consumption may reduce some crime types, such as property crime, through the generation of fewer potential crime targets. For each country/city a number of individual crimes and economic variables were analyzed. Across all combinations, a significant association between an economic factor and a crime type was identified in around 47 percent of individual combinations. For each country, different combinations of crime and economic predictors proved to be significant. Among the two methods used to analyze the links between economic and crime factors (visualization and statistical modelling), different combinations of factors were found to be significant and in five cases the two methods identified the same variables. Three out of these five cases represented city contexts rather than national contexts. This may indicate that associations between crime and economic factors are best examined at the level of the smallest possible geographic unit. Where an association between one or more economic variables and crime outcomes were identified by statistical modelling, the model frequently indicated a lag time between changes in the economic variable and resultant impact on crime levels. The average lag time in the contexts examined was around four and half months. In this respect, it should be noted that the relationship between crime and economy is not necessarily uni-directional. Whilst there are theoretical arguments for why changes in economic conditions may affect crime, it could also be the case that crime itself impacts upon economic and developmental outcomes, such as when very high violent crime levels dissuade investment. During the statistical modelling process, crime was set as the ‘outcome’ variable and economic data as the ‘independent’ variable. As such, the model was not used to investigate the converse relationship – whether changes in crime could also help explain economic outcomes. The statistical model proved successful at forecasting possible changes in crime for a number of crime typecountry/ city contexts. Forecasting for a period of three months using a statistical model with economic predictors proved possible with reasonable accuracy (both in terms of direction and magnitude) in a number of different contexts, including both in times of crisis and non-crisis. Many of the forecasts are sufficiently accurate to be of value in a practical scenario. Crime forecasts sometimes led, however, to underestimation of crime changes, suggesting that modelling of crime changes is not optimal when based on economic predictors alone. Indeed, economic changes are not the only factor that may impact levels of crime. The presence of youth gangs, weapons availability, the availability and level of protection of potential targets, drug and alcohol consumption and the effectiveness of law enforcement activity all play a significant role in enabling or restraining overall crime levels. Although the challenges remain significant, this report demonstrates that – with comparatively few resources – a lot may be learned from the application of analytical techniques to existing data. Continued methodological development, including the creation of an online data reporting ‘portal’, as well as the strengthening of exchange of information and experience, between countries, has the potential to lay the foundation of a strong ‘early-warning’ system. The analysis reported here does not prove the existence of relationships between economic factors and crime. It does provide strong indications that certain associations are present, and that much may be gained from further investigation. If the impact of economic stress on crime trends can be further understood, and even forecasted in the short-term, then there is the potential to gain much through policy development and crime prevention action. Details: Vienna, Austria: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2012 at http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/crime/GIVAS_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/crime/GIVAS_Final_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 124137 Keywords: Crime RatesCrime TrendsEconomics and CrimeHomicideMotor Vehicle TheftRobbery |
Author: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Office of Investigations Title: Investigation of Failure of the SEC to Uncover Bernard Madoff's Ponzi Scheme -Public Version- Summary: The investigation did not find evidence that any SEC personnel who worked on an SEC examination or investigation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, LLC (BMIS) had any financial or other inappropriate connection with Bernard Madoff or the Madoff family that influenced the conduct of their examination or investigatory work. Neither did the investigation find that former SEC Assistant Director Eric Swanson’s romantic relationship with Bernard Madoff’s niece influenced the conduct of the SEC examinations of Madoff and his firm. In addition, the investigation did not find that senior officials at the SEC directly attempted to influence examinations or investigations of Madoff or the Madoff firm, nor was there evidence that any senior SEC official interfered with the staff’s ability to perform its work. The investigation did find, however, that the SEC received more than ample information in the form of detailed and substantive complaints over the years to warrant a thorough and comprehensive examination and/or investigation of Bernard Madoff and BMIS for operating a Ponzi scheme. Had these efforts been made with appropriate follow-up at any time beginning in June 1992 until December 2008, the SEC could have uncovered the Ponzi scheme well before Madoff confessed. The OIG attributes these findings to systematic breakdowns in the manner in which the SEC conducted its examinations and investigation. For this reason, the OIG is issuing under separate cover two audit reports that provide the SEC with specific recommendations for improving how the SEC conducts its enforcement activities. Details: Washington, DC: Office of Investigations, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2009. Source: Report No. OIG-509: Internet Resource: Accessed February 21, 2012 at Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 124222 Keywords: Economics and CrimeFinancial Crimes, Madoff, BernardFraud |
Author: Patel, Deepali M. Title: Social and Economic Costs of Violence - Workshop Summary Summary: Violence not only causes physical and emotional damage, but also creates a social and economic burden on communities. Measuring these costs can be difficult, and most estimates only consider the direct economic effects of violence, such as productivity loss or the use of health care services. Beyond these clear-cut costs, however, the pain and suffering of violence can affect human and social development and increase the risk of chronic outcomes later in life. Communities and societies feel the effects of violence through loss of social cohesion, financial divestment, and the increased burden on the health care and justice systems. Initial estimates show that the cost of implementing successful violence prevention interventions is usually less than the cost borne by individuals and society if no action is taken. April 28-29, 2011, the IOM’s Forum on Global Violence Prevention held a workshop to evaluate the social and economic costs of violence. The workshop was designed to examine cross-cutting public health approaches to violence prevention from multiple perspectives and at various levels of society. Participants focused on exploring the successes and challenges of calculating direct and indirect costs of violence, as well as the potential cost-effectiveness of intervention. Speakers discussed social and economic costs of violence at four levels: individual, family, community, and societal. This document is a summary of the workshop. Details: Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2012. 177p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2012 at: http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2011/Social-and-Economic-Costs-of-Violence-Workshop-Summary.aspx Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2011/Social-and-Economic-Costs-of-Violence-Workshop-Summary.aspx Shelf Number: 124762 Keywords: Costs of CrimeEconomics and CrimeViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Islam, Asif Title: Police and Crime Against Firms in Developing Economies Summary: Economic theory predicts that a rise in police presence will reduce criminal activity. However several studies in the literature have found mixed results. This study adds to the literature by exploring the relationship between the size of police and crime against firms, an important issue especially for developing economies. Using data for about 12,000 firms in 27 developing countries we find that increasing the police force has a negative effect on crime against firms. We also find that several macro-economic factors can weaken or strengthen this negative effect. The results are robust to various sensitivity checks. Details: Munich: MPRA Munich Personal RePEc Archive, 2011. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: MPRA Paper No. 36725; http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/36725/1/MPRA_paper_36725.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/36725/1/MPRA_paper_36725.pdf Shelf Number: 125138 Keywords: Crime and DevelopmentCrimes Against BusinessesEconomics and CrimePolice Size |
Author: Ghosh, Arghya Title: Crime, Factor Abundance and Globalization: Evidence From Cross-Country Panel Data Summary: Popular media and anecdotal evidence suggests that aspects of globalization, particularly trade liberalization, are associated with increasing social tension such as higher crime rates. Moreover recent theoretical models have suggested that trade liberalization might reduce crime, but the effect differs for labor abundant and capital abundant countries. Though there is substantial evidence that crime rates differ across countries the proposition that trade liberalization in itself has an impact on crime has not been tested in the literature. We test this theory and find that a higher degree of trade liberalization, as measured by both higher openness and lower import duty rates, tend to increase burglaries and thefts in labor abundant countries. In contrast, in capital abundant countries, trade liberalization has either a small negative effect or no effect on crime rates. Details: Adelaide: University of Western Australia, School of Business, 2011. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2012 at: http://economics.adelaide.edu.au/events/ATW2011/Robertson.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://economics.adelaide.edu.au/events/ATW2011/Robertson.pdf Shelf Number: 125147 Keywords: Business and CrimeEconomics and CrimeGlobalization and CrimeInternational Trade and Crime |
Author: de Fontenay, Catherine Title: The Relocation of Crime Summary: We add a new sector called Crime to a traditional two-sector two-input Heckscher-Ohlin model of trade between countries. Trade is found to increase crime in the resource-rich country and to reduce crime in the resource-poor country by an equal amount. The negative externality from increased crime can be strong enough to cancel out the gains from trade for the resource-rich country. The paper also explores the impact of aid, capital flows, and migration on crime rates, and how crime shapes the degree of specialization in each economy. Details: Carlton, Australia: University of Melbourne, 2011. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2012 at http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=catherine_de_fontenay Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=catherine_de_fontenay Shelf Number: 125614 Keywords: Economics and CrimeTrade |
Author: Osler, Mark Title: What Would It Look Like If We Cared About Narcotics Trafficking? An Argument to Attack Narcotics Capital Rather Than Labor Summary: As the failure of the “War on Drugs” becomes ever more obvious, alternative strategies are coming to the fore. This article adds to that movement with a novel suggestion: That we cause drug networks to fail as a business through the tactic of focusing resources on the seizure of cash flow traveling back to source countries. To date, federal narcotics interdiction has centered on restricting the labor supply to drug traffickers by incarcerating street dealers, mules, and middle managers. It shouldn’t be surprising that this has not worked, because low-wage labor is in ready supply, and those workers are easily replaced. Instead, we should leverage the skills we have gained in interdicting cash flowing to terrorist organizations and apply it to drug networks. The result could be a self-financing law enforcement effort, a federal effort that is more consistent with the core values of federalism and a belief in markets, and an actual chance to succeed at the task of restricting the flow of narcotics. Details: Minnesota: University of St. Thomas - School of Law, 2011. 17p. Source: Working Paper: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2012 at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1800370 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1800370 Shelf Number: 125365 Keywords: Drug TraffickingEconomics and CrimeNarcoticsWar on Drugs |
Author: Shapiro, Robert J. Title: The Economic Benefits of Reducing Violent Crime: A Case Study of 8 American Cities Summary: This report presents the findings and conclusions of a yearlong project to examine and analyze the costs of violent crimes in a sample of eight major American cities and estimate the savings and other benefits that would accompany significant reductions in those crimes. This analysis draws on data pinpointing the incidence and location of murders, rapes, assaults, and robberies. The data were provided by the police departments of Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Jacksonville, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and Seattle. We examined a broad range of both direct and intangible costs associated with those violent crimes based on their incidence in each of the eight cities in 2010. The direct costs reported here are those borne by the residents and city governments of the eight cities, although additional costs are also borne by state and federal governments and the taxpayers who finance them. Finally, we calculated the benefits to those residents associated with substantial reductions in violent crime, including the impact on residential home values and a variety of savings to the city governments. In today’s tight fiscal and economic environment, the mayors and city councils of every city—along with state and the federal governments—are searching for ways to reduce their spending and expand their revenues. The common challenge is to achieve sustainable fiscal conditions without hobbling government’s ability to provide the vital goods and services that most Americans expect, all without burdening businesses and families with onerous new taxes. This analysis provides another way available to many American municipalities: Secure budget savings, higher revenues, and personal income and wealth gains by reducing violent crime rates. To calculate the extent of those savings and benefits, we analyze a broad range of direct costs associated with the violent crime in the eight cities sampled here. These direct costs start with local spending on policing, prosecuting, and incarcerating the perpetrators of those crimes. These costs also encompass out-of-pocket medical expenses borne by surviving victims of violent crime as well as the income those victims must forgo as a result of the crimes. These costs also include the lost incomes that would otherwise be earned by the perpetrators of violent crimes had they not been apprehended—as distasteful as it is to calculate the foregone income of rapists or armed robbers who are arrested, convicted, and incarcerated. These direct, annual costs range from $90 million per year in Seattle to around $200 million per year in Boston, Jacksonville, and Milwaukee, to more than $700 million in Philadelphia and nearly $1.1 billion for Chicago. This report also examines certain intangible costs associated with violent crime, including the pain and suffering of the surviving victims of violent crime and the costs to the families of murder victims. Across the eight cities examined here, the total annual costs of violent crimes, including these intangible costs as well as the more direct ones, range from more than $300 million per year in Seattle to more than $900 million in Boston, to some $3.7 billion per year in Philadelphia and $5.3 billion for Chicago. Details: Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, 2012. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2012 at: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/06/pdf/violent_crime.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/06/pdf/violent_crime.pdf Shelf Number: 125533 Keywords: Costs of CrimeEconomic AnalysisEconomics and CrimeViolenceViolent Crime (U.S.) |
Author: U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Title: The Impact of the Economic Downturn on American Police Agencies Summary: The economic crisis that began in 2008 has changed America in many ways. Unemployment rates have increased sharply, the stability of the housing market has collapsed, consumer spending has slowed, and city revenues have lessened. Law enforcement agencies are some of the hardest hit by the current economic climate, and they face a new reality in American policing—one that requires a shift in the methods they use to uphold levels of service while dealing with ever shrinking budgets. The importance of maintaining and expanding community policing practices during this time of economic hardship is paramount. Drawing from reputable surveys, publications, and a variety of data sets, The Impact of the Economic Downturn on American Police Agencies outlines the ways in which law enforcement agencies have been affected, and examines the ways some have responded. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2011. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 1, 2012 at http://cops.usdoj.gov/Publications/e101113406_Economic%20Impact%20Publication%20vFIN_19APR12.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://cops.usdoj.gov/Publications/e101113406_Economic%20Impact%20Publication%20vFIN_19APR12.pdf Shelf Number: 125839 Keywords: Economics and CrimePolice Policies and ProceduresUnemployment and Crime |
Author: Parlow, Matthew J. Title: The Great Recession and Its Implications for Community Policing Summary: During the last twenty years, community policing has been the dominant approach to local law enforcement. Community policing is based, in part, on the broken windows theory of public safety. The broken windows theory suggests a link between low-level crime and violent crime — that is, if minor offenses are allowed to pervade a community, they will lead to a proliferation of crime and, ultimately, a community plagued by violent crime. To maintain a perception of community orderliness, many local governments adopted “order maintenance” laws — such as panhandling ordinances and anti-homeless statutes. This emphasis on cracking down on such low-level offenses brought with it an increase in the needs and costs of policing, prosecutions, jails, social services, and other related resources. When the economy was flourishing, local governments were able to pay for the time- and resource-intensive broken windows approach to community policing. The Great Recession, however, has forced localities to think critically about whether they can sustain these practices given budget cuts. This Article analyzes the effects that the downturn in the economy has had on public safety budgets and the changes that many local governments have made, and are continuing to make, to adjust to decreasing revenue and resources. This Article will also explore proposed changes to the current criminal justice and social service systems that seek cost-effective approaches to deliver the same level of public safety to which communities are accustomed. In particular, this Article will assess and evaluate evidence-based decision-making — an emerging trend in some criminal justice systems — as part of an evolving trend driven by the effects of the Great Recession, but also stemming out of community policing. Finally, this Article will use Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, as an example of an evidence-based decision-making approach and explain how it can fulfill the public safety goals of the broken windows theory of community policing while creating a framework that provides for “smart” decision-making that accounts for the financial realities that most cities face. Details: Milwaukee, WI: Marquette University Law School, 2012. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Marquette Law School Legal Studies Paper No. 12-12: Accessed August 3, 2012 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2083754 Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2083754 Shelf Number: 125851 Keywords: Broken Windows PolicingBroken Windows TheoryCommunity PolicingCosts of Criminal JusticeEconomics and CrimeMunicipal Budgets |
Author: Dimico, Arcangelo Title: Origins of the Sicilian Mafi a: The Market for Lemons Summary: Since its first appearance in the late 1800s, the origins of the Sicilian mafi a have remained a largely unresolved mystery. Both institutional and historical explanations have been proposed in the literature through the years. In this paper, we develop an argument for a market structure-hypothesis, contending that mafi a arose in towns where fi rms made unusually high profi ts due to imperfect competition. We identify the market for citrus fruits as a sector with very high international demand as well as substantial fi xed costs that acted as a barrier to entry in many places and secured high profi ts in others. Using the original data from a parliamentary inquiry in 1881-86 on all towns in Sicily, we show that ma fia presence is strongly related to the production of orange and lemon. This result contrasts recent work that emphasizes the importance of land reforms and a broadening of property rights as the main reason for the emergence of ma fia protection. Details: Nottingham, UK: University of Nottingham, 2012. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: CREDIT Research Paper 12/01: Accessed November 2, 2012 at: http://www.econstor.eu/dspace/handle/10419/65483?langselector=en Year: 2012 Country: Italy URL: http://www.econstor.eu/dspace/handle/10419/65483?langselector=en Shelf Number: 126855 Keywords: Economics and CrimeMafia (Sicily)Organized CrimeSicilian Mafia |
Author: SBP Title: The Impact of Crime on Small Businesses in South Africa Summary: There is broad agreement that the high levels of crime – and violent crime in particular – significantly constrain businesses in South Africa. However, very little has been known about: • how likely small and emerging business are to be victims of crime • the types of crime they experience most frequently • the ways in which crime constrains small business growth and development, and • how much crime actually costs small businesses both in money and in resources. This report provides the first evidence-based answers to these questions. The sur-vey covered 446 small and emerging businesses, almost all owned by historically disadvantaged black Africans, in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. The survey focused on businesses operating in industrial sectors with the potential to contribute to economic growth and to support job creation. The sample largely excluded subsistence-level activities. It covered businesses located in inner city areas, large townships and informal settlements, and densely developed suburban areas such as shopping centres and business parks, and provides robust evidence about the experiences and perceptions of small business owners in a variety of settings in and around the three major metropolitan areas, with their different local economies and urban cultures. Details: Johannesburg: SBP, 2008. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 29, 2013 at: http://www.sbp.org.za/uploads/media/SBP_impact_of_crime_on_small_businesses_report___2008.pdf Year: 2008 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.sbp.org.za/uploads/media/SBP_impact_of_crime_on_small_businesses_report___2008.pdf Shelf Number: 127434 Keywords: Crime StatisticsCrimes Against BusinessesEconomics and CrimeRetail Crime (South Africa) |
Author: Lauridsen, Jorgen T. Title: A Spatial Panel Data Analysis of Crime Rates in EU Summary: The study investigates selected factors affecting crime rates in the EU-15 countries during the years 2000 to 2007 with an especial focus on inflation rate, level of education, income and employment. While these topics have been investigated in former studies, the present study adds by introducing spatial panel data methods to the case. Regarding the effects of these factors, the present study obtains results comparable to those from former studies, whereby the robustness of these are confirmed. Details: Odense, Denmark: Department of Business and Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 2013. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Papers on Business and Economics No. 2/2013: Accessed March 26, 2013 at: http://static.sdu.dk/mediafiles//A/2/1/%7BA21BF15B-1A84-4BA6-B4A7-3AAA6E3FA6AC%7Ddpbe2_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Europe URL: http://static.sdu.dk/mediafiles//A/2/1/%7BA21BF15B-1A84-4BA6-B4A7-3AAA6E3FA6AC%7Ddpbe2_2013.pdf Shelf Number: 128139 Keywords: Cost-Benefit AnalysisCrime Rates (Europe)Crime StatisticsEconomics and CrimeEducationEmployment |
Author: Lindo, Jason M. Title: Economic Conditions and Child Abuse Summary: Although a huge literature spanning several disciplines documents an association between poverty and child abuse, researchers have not found persuasive evidence that economic downturns increase abuse, despite their impacts on family income. In this paper, we address this seeming contradiction. Using county-level child abuse data spanning 1996 to 2009 from the California Department of Justice, we estimate the extent to which a county's reported abuse rate diverges from its trend when its economic conditions diverge from trend, controlling for statewide annual shocks. The results of this analysis indicate that overall measures of economic conditions are not strongly related to rates of abuse. However, focusing on overall measures of economic conditions masks strong opposing effects of economic conditions facing males and females: male layoffs increase rates of abuse whereas female layoffs reduce rates of abuse. These results are consistent with a theoretical framework that builds on family-time-use models and emphasizes differential risks of abuse associated with a child's time spent with different caregivers. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2013. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper No. 18994: Accessed May 4, 2013 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w18994 Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w18994 Shelf Number: 128663 Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect (U.S.)Child MaltreatmentEconomics and CrimePoverty |
Author: BenYishay, Ariel Title: 1 Homicide and Work: The Impact of Mexico’s Drug War on Labor Market Participation Summary: We estimate the impact of the escalation of the drug war in Mexico on the mean hours worked among the general population. We focus on homicides, which have increased dramatically since 2006. To identify the relationship between changes in homicides and hours worked, we exploit the large variation in the trajectory of violence across states and over time. Using panel and instrumental variables regressions, we find that the increase in homicides has negatively impacted labor force activity. An increase in homicides of 10 per 100,000 in a given state is associated with a decline of 0.3 weekly hours worked among the state’s population. For states most impacted by the drug war, in which homicides per 100,000 inhabitants have increased by 30-50 a year, this implies an average decline in hours worked of one to one and a half hours per week. These impacts are larger for the self-employed and are concentrated among the highest income quartiles. This highlights how the costs of crime tend to be unequally born by certain segments of the population. Details: Unpublished paper, 2013. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2013 at: http://www.colgate.edu/docs/d_academics_departments-and-programs_economics_colgate-hamilton-seminar-series/homicide-and-work-the-impact-of-mexico's-drug-war-on-labor-market-participation-2-27-13.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Year: 2013 Country: Mexico URL: http://www.colgate.edu/docs/d_academics_departments-and-programs_economics_colgate-hamilton-seminar-series/homicide-and-work-the-impact-of-mexico's-drug-war-on-labor-market-participation-2-27-13.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Shelf Number: 129205 Keywords: Drug TraffickingDrug War (Mexico)Drug-Related ViolenceEconomics and CrimeHomicidesLabor Force Participation |
Author: Munyo, Ignacio Title: The Juvenile Crime Dilemma Summary: I develop a dynamic model of behavior to analyze juvenile crime. The consistent decisions between crime and legal activities of forward-looking youths depend upon their work- and criminal-specifi c human capital, which in turn are shaped by their history of past choices. The model explicitly recognizes the contrasting levels of punishment of the juvenile and adult criminal systems. In order to evaluate whether the model explains the evolution of crime, I calibrate it and test whether it can account for the observed variations in crime levels, as economic and legal factors change over time. The model is able to reproduce virtually all the recent increase in juvenile crime by a¤ecting key model parameters in line with observed facts. Additional counterfactual results suggest an increase in the expected punishments of young offenders within the juvenile justice system is a better way to fi ght juvenile crime than the reduction of the age of criminal responsibility. Details: Unpublished paper, 2013. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2013 at: http://www.ceres-uy.org/pdfs/the_juvenile%20crime_dilemma_june%202013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.ceres-uy.org/pdfs/the_juvenile%20crime_dilemma_june%202013.pdf Shelf Number: 129392 Keywords: Criminal ResponsibilityEconomics and CrimeJuvenile OffendersPunishment |
Author: Grönqvist, Hans Title: Youth Unemployment and Crime: New Lessons Exploring Longitudinal Register Data Summary: This paper investigates the link between youth unemployment and crime using a unique combination of labor market and conviction data spanning the entire Swedish working-age population over an extended period. The empirical analysis reveals large and statistically significant effects of unemployment on several types of crime. The magnitude of the effect is similar across different subgroups of the population. In contrast to most previous studies, the results suggest that joblessness explain a meaningful portion of why male youths are overrepresented among criminal offenders. I discuss reasons for the discrepancy in the results and show that that the use of aggregated measures of labor market opportunities in past studies is likely to capture offsetting general equilibrium effects. Contrary to predictions by economic theory the effect of unemployment on crime is not mediated by income. Instead, an analysis of crimes committed during weekdays versus weekends provides suggestive evidence that unemployment increases the time that individuals have to engage in crime. Details: Stockholm: Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), Stockholm University, 2011. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper 7/2011: Accessed August 19, 2013 at; http://www.sole-jole.org/12129.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Sweden URL: http://www.sole-jole.org/12129.pdf Shelf Number: 129638 Keywords: Economics and CrimeJuvenile DelinquencyYouth Unemployment and Crime |
Author: Friehe, Tim Title: The Individual and Joint Performance of Economic Preferences, Personality, and Self-Control in Predicting Criminal Behavior Summary: We explore the individual and joint explanatory power of concepts from economics, psychology, and criminology for criminal behavior. More precisely, we consider risk and time preferences, personality traits from psychology (Big Five and locus of control), and a self-control scale from criminology. We find that economic preferences, personality traits, and self-control complement each other in predicting criminal behavior. The most significant predictors stem from all three disciplines: risk aversion, conscientiousness, and high self-control make criminal behavior less likely. Our results illustrate that integrating concepts from various disciplines enhances our understanding of individual behavior. Details: Munich: Center for Economic Studies & Ifo Institute (CESifo), 2014. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: CESifo Working Paper No. 4622, Accessed April 8, 2014 at: http://www.cesifo-gruppe.de/ifoHome/publications/working-papers/CESifoWP/CESifoWPdetails?wp_id=19106244 Year: 2014 Country: Germany URL: http://www.cesifo-gruppe.de/ifoHome/publications/working-papers/CESifoWP/CESifoWPdetails?wp_id=19106244 Shelf Number: 132049 Keywords: Criminal Behavior Economics and CrimeIllegal Behavior |
Author: Cahill, Meagan Title: Foreclosures and Crime: A Space-Time Analysis Summary: Despite growing attention to the negative consequences of foreclosures in neighborhoods, very little systematic research on the outcomes of the foreclosure crisis was being conducted on the topic through the late 2000s. In 2010, the National Institute of Justice funded the Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center to fill that gap with a systematic assessment of the impacts of foreclosures and crime levels on each other. Four questions guided the present research: 1) What is the effect of foreclosures on the levels of crime in a neighborhood and how does that relationship change over time? Do the two phenomena have a circular relationship (where each affects the other simultaneously)? 2) Do foreclosures in one area have a "spillover" effect, increasing crime in a neighboring area at an immediate or later time period? 3) How do the effects of foreclosures on crime differ in the short-, medium -, and long-term? 4) What are the perceptions of key informants and residents on foreclosures and crime in their neighborhoods, on the impact of foreclosures on the crime rate, and on the best approaches to addressing the spillover effects of the foreclosure crisis? Data: The relationship between crime data and foreclosures was modeled at the census tract level for two sites: - Washington, DC; o 188 census tracts; -- Over the period Q1 2003 through Q4 2010 - Miami, FL ; -- 329 census tracts; -- Over the period Q4 2003 through Q1 2011 - Total of 6,016 data points in the DC data and a total of 9,870 data points in the Miami data. Results: - Effect of foreclosures on crime: -- Statistically significant in only one model: Miami model of foreclosure sales and violent crime; -- One percent increase in foreclosures would result in a 0.0157 percent increase in violent crimes - small enough to be considered non-existent. - In other models, the effect of foreclosures on crime was very small and non-significant - The effect of nearby foreclosures (spatially lagged foreclosures) was very small and not significant in any of the models The analysis suggests that any observed relationship between foreclosures and crime exists, more or less, because both foreclosures and crime happen in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Given this evidence, there is no reason to conclude that concentrated foreclosures, at least to the extent experienced in DC or Miami in the late 2000s, led to significant increases in crime on their own. The relationship between foreclosures and crime is complex, and indeed, in many ways, the two are related. However, evidence from a number of sources explored as part of this research-maps of the foreclosures and crime in both cities before and after the foreclosure crisis hit, reports from local experts and residents in both cities, descriptive analysis of foreclosures and crime data, and complex statistical models-suggests that the relationship is not direct, and is instead built on each event's relationships with other factors, like neighborhood characteristics that were in place before foreclosures spiked, such as poverty or other types of disadvantage. On a very small scale, such as by individual property or by block, a relationship between foreclosures and crime could exist, but if it does, we do not expect that it is widespread. Policies should not be designed to address these two phenomena alone. Instead, any policy responses should be designed to address wider community problems or disadvantage that likely lead to both higher foreclosures and higher crime. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2014. 109p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248652.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248652.pdf Shelf Number: 135209 Keywords: Economics and CrimeHousing ForeclosuresNeighborhoods and CrimeProperty CrimesVacant Properties |
Author: Munyo, Ignacio Title: First-Day Criminal Recidivism Summary: We find that on any given day the number of inmates released from incarceration significantly affects the number of offenses committed that day, and we name this "first-day recidivism." Our estimates are robust to a variety of alternative specifications. We run a series of placebo experiments that further support our causal interpretation of the results. We also find evidence that an increase in the amount of money received by prisoners at the time of their release significantly decreases first-day recidivism, and that first-day recidivism is restricted to crimes with a direct financial motivation. These findings suggest that our results are driven by liquidity constraints. Details: Buenos Aires: Universidad de SanAndres, 2014. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2015 at: ftp://webacademicos.udesa.edu.ar/pub/econ/doc113.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Uruguay URL: ftp://webacademicos.udesa.edu.ar/pub/econ/doc113.pdf Shelf Number: 135334 Keywords: Economics and CrimeProperty CrimeRecidivism |
Author: Campaniello, Nadia Title: Women in crime: Over the last 50 years women have been increasing their participation in the labor market and in the crime market Summary: In recent decades, women's participation in the labor market has increased considerably in most countries and is converging toward the participation rate of men. Though on a lesser scale, a similar movement toward gender convergence seems to be occurring in the criminal world, though many more men than women still engage in criminal activity. Technological progress and social norms have freed women from the home, increasing their participation in both the labor market and the crime market. With crime no longer just men's business, it is important to investigate female criminal behavior to determine whether the policy prescriptions to reduce crime should differ for women. There is still a gender gap in the crime market, but the number of women committing crimes is on the rise, partly because other socio-economic gender gaps have been shrinking. Women have more freedom than in the past, and with that come more opportunities for crime. Despite increasing social equality, police and judicial systems still tend to be more lenient with female than with male offenders. Policies to reduce wage disparities between skilled and unskilled female workers, such as incentivizing female education, might reduce crime among disadvantaged women. Family support policies, by encouraging marriage and having children, might also reduce crime among women. Details: Bonn: IZA World of Labor, 2014. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 24, 2015 at: http://wol.iza.org/articles/women-in-crime-1.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://wol.iza.org/articles/women-in-crime-1.pdf Shelf Number: 135385 Keywords: Economics and CrimeFemale InmatesFemale OffendersFemale PrisonersSocio-economic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Ruddell, Rick Title: The Economics of Canadian Policing Five Years Into the Great Recession Summary: Since the start of the Great Recession in 2008 there has been a growing interest in applying business models and cost-benefit analyses to policing, especially in terms of holding police services more accountable for their performance as publically funded agencies. A review of the policing literature reveals an increased number of references to value for money (Barton & Barton, 2011) and return on investment from dollars spent on policing (Boyd, Geoghegan & Gibbs, 2011; Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary [HMIC], 2013). Police and political leaders, as well as academics have used the economic crisis as an opportunity to advance the issues of reimagining or re-envisioning policing. While Canada has weathered the worst of the economic crisis that started in 2008 with fewer negative effects than our counterparts in the United Kingdom, the euro zone, and the United States, there has been a growing concern about the increasing costs of policing, which has been called unsustainable by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (2013). Every Canadian municipality is grappling with increasing demands for civic services, including policing, and few local politicians want to increase taxes. With respect to the Ontario Provincial Police, for instance, changes in the manner in which their costs are recovered from municipalities have led to a growing concern from rural community leaders: Brennan (2014, n.p.) noted that "prior to 1998 rural municipalities did not pay for policing." These debates are not isolated to Ontario, and city counselors throughout the nation are trying to balance public safety and their ability to pay for policing. Containing policing costs while ensuring that core policing services (e.g., those related to emergency response, criminal investigations and enforcing laws) are of key importance to policymakers and members of the Canadian policing industry. This is evidenced by an increased focus on the "economics of policing" in the research literature (see Griffiths & Stamatakis, 2012; Leuprecht, 2014; Ruddell & Jones, 2013), and several conferences and summits held throughout 2013-2014 (Charlottetown in January and September, 2013 and Vancouver in March 2014). Topics related to the economics of policing have been addressed at the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police 2013 annual meeting and were a key subject addressed by the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security throughout 2013. In many respects, funding for Canadian policing is more stable than in other English-speaking common-law nations. Police services throughout the United States have been experiencing funding cutbacks and some jurisdictions disbanded their police services in favour of contract policing (U.S. Department of Justice, 2012), while other municipalities have replaced publically operated police with private police agencies. In the United Kingdom, policing budgets are projected to be cut by as much as one-third. Given these funding shortfalls, police leaders in these nations are being forced to rethink the manner in which services are delivered, who will deliver them, and how to best manage cuts to police budgets without threatening core policing services. Canadian police services have the luxury of time to scan the environment for threats as well as opportunities for change, and learn what the police in other nations are doing in response to budget cutbacks. It is possible that the lessons learned from our counterparts will enable Canadian police services to better leverage their resources. Former Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, speaking at the Economics of Policing Summit in January 2013, observed that, "Police services face two options - they can do nothing and eventually be forced to cut drastically, as we have seen in some countries; or they can be proactive, get ahead of the curve, and have greater flexibility in designing and implementing both incremental and meaningful structural reforms." As part of a proactive strategy that examines the economics of policing in the Canadian context, a key goal of this study is to review the economics, management, and policing literatures to identify current trends in respect to the relationships between economics and policing, including how police services in other nations have managed austerity. The main findings from this review are that: - There were 11 recessions between 1948 and 2011 and each one had a different set of causes, economic consequences, as well as recovery times and these three factors influence crime rates in an inconsistent manner. - The global economic recovery has been slow and another downturn could have a significant impact upon the Canadian economy, and in turn, police funding. - Police services in the United Kingdom and the United States have responded to the latest recession by streamlining operations and attempting to reduce demand. - While police services in other nations have been successful in preserving core functions after budget cuts there is some question as to whether these strategies are sustainable over the long-term. - Long-term austerity policing may negatively influence citizen perceptions of the police and has been shown to reduce the morale of police service staff in the United Kingdom. - Cost-benefit analyses consistently reveal that investing in policing is a cost-effective public policy. - Recent research demonstrates that officer effectiveness can be enhanced through directed patrol or "hot spots" policing. - The RAND cost of crime calculator shows that adding police officers in jurisdictions with high crime rates is a good investment in public safety. - Applying the RAND calculator to Saskatchewan policing shows a return of $1.70 for every additional dollar spent on police officers. - Deploying officers in traffic enforcement roles demonstrates a greater cost saving benefit to society than in general duty policing. - Crime reduction strategies must be developed at the local level, as an approach that is effective in one jurisdiction may be unsuccessful when exported to another community. - The current recession has led to many scholars calling for a 'reengineering' or 'remaking' of police operations although there is little consensus on what those changes should entail or who should decide what changes should occur. - Most policing studies focus upon big city policing and there is almost no published research on best practices, cost effectiveness or measuring the performance of rural police services. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2014. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2015 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/lbrr/archives/cnmcs-plcng/cn80407908-eng.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/lbrr/archives/cnmcs-plcng/cn80407908-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 135694 Keywords: Cost-Benefit AnalysisCosts of Criminal JusticeEconomics and CrimeEconomics of PolicingPolice AdministrationPolicing |
Author: Drenkard, Scott Title: Cigarette Taxes and Cigarette Smuggling by State, 2013 Summary: Key Findings - Large differentials in cigarette taxes across states create incentives for black market sales. - Smuggled cigarettes make up substantial portions of cigarette consumption in many states, and greater than 20 percent of consumption in fifteen states. - The highest inbound cigarette smuggling rates are in New York (58.0 percent), Arizona (49.3 percent), Washington (46.4 percent), New Mexico (46.1 percent), and Rhode Island (32.0 percent). - The highest outbound smuggling rates are in New Hampshire (28.6 percent), Idaho (24.2 percent), Virginia (22.6 percent), Delaware (22.6 percent), and Wyoming (21.0 percent). - Smuggling rates jumped substantially in Illinois after hikes in state and county excise tax rates, from 1.1 percent of consumption in the last edition to 20.9 percent in this edition. - Cigarette tax rates increased in 30 states and the District of Columbia between 2006 and 2013. Public policies often have unintended consequences that outweigh their benefits. One consequence of high state cigarette tax rates has been increased smuggling as criminals procure discounted packs from low-tax states to sell in high-tax states. Growing cigarette tax differentials have made cigarette smuggling both a national problem and a lucrative criminal enterprise. Each year, scholars at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a Michigan think tank, use a statistical analysis of available data to estimate smuggling rates for each state.[1] Their most recent report uses 2013 data and finds that smuggling rates generally rise in states after they adopt large cigarette tax increases. Smuggling rates have dropped in some states, however, often where neighboring states have higher cigarette tax rates. Table 1 shows the data for each state, comparing 2013 and 2006 smuggling rates and tax changes. New York is the highest net importer of smuggled cigarettes, totaling 58.0 percent of the total cigarette market in the state. New York also has the highest state cigarette tax ($4.35 per pack), not counting the additional local New York City cigarette tax (an additional $1.50 per pack). Smuggling in New York has risen sharply since 2006 (+62 percent), as has the tax rate (+190 percent). Smuggling in Illinois has also increased dramatically, from 1.1 percent to 20.9 percent since the last data release. This is likely related to the fact that the Illinois state cigarette tax rate was hiked from $0.98 to $1.98 in mid-2012. This increase in smuggling may continue in future data editions, as more recent increases in both the Cook County rate (from $2.00 to $3.00 per pack, effective March 1, 2013) and the Chicago municipal rate (from $0.68 to $1.18, effective January 10, 2014) have brought the combined state-county-municipal rate to $6.16 per pack of cigarettes, the highest combined rate in the country.[2] Other peer-reviewed studies provide support for these findings.[3] Recently, a study in Tobacco Control examined littered packs of cigarettes in five northeast cities, finding that 58.7 percent of packs did not have proper local stamps. The authors estimated 30.5 to 42.1 percent of packs were trafficked.[4] Smuggling takes many forms: counterfeit state tax stamps, counterfeit versions of legitimate brands, hijacked trucks, or officials turning a blind eye.[5] The study's authors, LaFaive and Nesbit, cite examples of a Maryland police officer running illicit cigarettes while on duty, a Virginia man hiring a contract killer over a cigarette smuggling dispute, and prison guards caught smuggling cigarettes into prisons. Policy responses have included banning common carrier delivery of cigarettes,[6] greater law enforcement activity on interstate roads,[7] differential tax rates near low-tax jurisdictions,[8] and cracking down on tribal reservations that sell tax-free cigarettes.[9] However, the underlying problem remains: high cigarette taxes that amount to a "price prohibition" of the product in many U.S. states.[10] Details: Washington, DC: Tax Foundation, 2015. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Fiscal Fact, No. 450: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/TaxFoundation_FF450.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/TaxFoundation_FF450.pdf Shelf Number: 136058 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingEconomics and CrimeTaxes |
Author: Casola, Luca C. Title: Black Markets: Empirical studies into the economic behaviour of the black market consumer Summary: Most attempts by governments to reduce black market activity target the supplier rather than the consumer. The current thesis, however, sees reducing the willingness of the consumer to buy such goods as crucial in reducing the market. Over three studies, I examined variables that affected consumers buying from black markets and their perceptions of black markets. Study 1 (80 participants) confirmed the hypothesis that when the need to buy from a black market was for survival it would be considered more acceptable than to save money or to buy luxury goods. Study 1 further showed it was less acceptable to buy from the black market when the victim resulting from the purchase of the good was identified as an individual, rather than an organisation or society. Age and the gender of the consumer were also significant predictors of the rating of acceptability. In Study 2,65 participants completed a series of computer simulated scenarios to measure the price they would pay for different black market goods. Results indicate that the price participants were willing to pay for black market goods varied according to who the victim was (individual, organisation or society) and the participant's age and gender. Finally, in Study 3, 64 participants completed a similar task to Study 2, but some participants were informed about the true cost of black markets. Results confirmed the previous findings as well as indicating that the type of crime committed to procure the good and whether they saw information about the true cost of the markets also affected the price they would be willing to pay. The thesis concludes with suggestions for reducing black market activity. Details: Canterbury, UK: University of Canterbury, 2007. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed August 10, 2015 at: http://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/bitstream/10092/1472/1/thesis_fulltext.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/bitstream/10092/1472/1/thesis_fulltext.pdf Shelf Number: 136377 Keywords: Black Markets Economics and CrimeIllegal Markets Illicit Markets |
Author: Ellen, Ingrid Gould Title: The Impact of Foreclosures on Neighborhood Crime Summary: In the last few years, mortgage foreclosures have uprooted millions of households, and many have expressed concern that the foreclosed homes they leave behind are increasing crime. The three papers that emerged from our project study this question by examining whether and how elevated foreclosures affect different types of crime in the immediately surrounding area, in five cities around the country. In our first paper, we use point-specific, longitudinal crime and foreclosure data from New York City to examine how foreclosures affect crime on the same blockface- an individual street segment including properties on both sides of the street. We compare changes in crime on blockfaces after homes on the blockface enter foreclosure to changes on other blockfaces in the same neighborhood that did not experience foreclosures during the same time period. To bolster our confidence in a causal relationship, we also estimate regressions that control for future foreclosure notices. These future foreclosures cannot affect crime today, but they help to capture unobserved differences in trends between those blockfaces where foreclosures occur and those where they do not. In brief, while much of the association between foreclosures and crime is explained by both occurring on similar blockfaces, we find that marginal foreclosures on a blockface lead to a small number of additional violent and public order crimes. Our results are robust to both OLS and negative binomial estimation. As expected, effects are largest for foreclosed properties that go all the way through the foreclosure process to an auction. The effects of foreclosure extend to crime on neighboring blockfaces, but these effects are attenuated. When estimating threshold-level models, we find that foreclosures have a larger effect on crime after there are three foreclosures on the block. In our second two papers we focus more on identifying mechanisms and also extend our analysis to four other cities to test for generalizability. Our second paper, focused on Chicago, finds similar results as we did in New York City: an increase in the number of properties that receive foreclosure notices appears to increase total, violent, and public order crime on blockfaces in Chicago. In addition, our estimates suggest that foreclosures change the location of crime. They increase crime that occurs inside residences, but if anything reduce crime outside on the street. Foreclosures are also associated with substantively large (but weakly estimated) effects on crime within vacant buildings. Finally, increases in foreclosures are associated with increases in the number of 311 calls made to the City of Chicago about problems such as vacant buildings, rodents, graffiti, and other types of physical disorder increase in the following quarter. This suggests that the crime increase may come from an increase in physical disorder. In our third paper, we explore the relationship between foreclosures and crime in five cities, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, New York, and Philadelphia. Overall, we find that properties banks take over through foreclosure (real estate owned or REO) are associated with higher crime both in the census tract and on the blockface. However, once we control for the number of properties in the foreclosure process (which we can do in three cities), we find no evidence that the presence of REO properties increases crime. Rather, it is the properties on the way to foreclosure auctions that appear to elevate crime. In other words, the crime increases caused by foreclosures appear to be driven by the reduced maintenance and investment of 'limbo' properties that are in transition to bank ownership. Collectively, these results suggest that local law enforcement and housing agencies should track foreclosure notices and monitor properties as they go through the foreclosure process, as their owners have little incentive to maintain them. Details: Report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice, 2015. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 21, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248653.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248653.pdf Shelf Number: 136845 Keywords: Economics and Crime Housing Foreclosures Mortgage ForeclosuresNeighborhoods and CrimeProperty Crimes Urban Areas and CrimeVacant Properties |
Author: Paredes, Dusan Title: Is crime in Mexico a disamenity? Evidence from hedonic valuation approach Summary: Since Roback (1982)'s seminal work, the literature has evaluated the role of the amenities to equilibrate the regional differentials of nominal wages and prices. While these studies generally find evidence for traditional amenities and disamenities in developed countries, it still exists a scarce exploration on how those characteristics assessed, like violence, affect the equilibrium in less developed countries. In this paper, we explore violence as amenity or disamenity for the case of Mexico as a particular and unique natural experiment. We use the hedonic wage and rent theory proposed by Roback using data from the Mexican Household Income and Expenditure Survey, along with other information at municipal and state level. For our particular hypothesis, we find evidence to support that inhabitants in traditional drug trafficking states could consider drug-related crime as an amenity. Details: Antofagasta, Chile: Departamento de Economia, Universidad Catolica del Norte, 2015. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: No 67, Documentos de Trabajo en Economia y Ciencia Regional : Accessed October 30, 2015 at: https://ideas.repec.org/p/cat/dtecon/dt201512.html Year: 2015 Country: Mexico URL: https://ideas.repec.org/p/cat/dtecon/dt201512.html Shelf Number: 137178 Keywords: Drug TraffickingDrug-Related ViolenceEconomics and CrimeSocioeconomic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Alesina, Alberto Title: Violence Against Women: A Cross-cultural Analysis for Africa Summary: Using a new dataset, we investigate the determinants of violence against women in Africa. We focus on cultural factors arising from pre-colonial customs and find evidence consistent with two hypotheses. First, ancient socioeconomic conditions determine social norms about gender roles, family structures and intra-family violence which persist even when the initial conditions change. Norms about marriage patterns, living arrangements and the productive role of women are associated with contemporary violence. Second, women's contemporary economic role affects violence in a complex way which is itself related to traditional norms in ancient times and current bargaining power within the marriage. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2016. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper No. 21901: Accessed March 24, 2016 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w21901.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Africa URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w21901.pdf Shelf Number: 138411 Keywords: Economics and CrimeFamily Violence Intimate Partner Violence Socioeconomic Conditions and Crime Violence Against Women |
Author: Blackburn, Keith Title: Organized Crime, Corruption and Growth: Theory and Evidence Summary: We develop a framework for studying the interactions between organized crime and corruption, together with the individual and combined effects of these phenomena on economic growth. Criminal organizations co-exist with law-abiding productive agents and potentially corrupt law enforcers. The crime syndicate obstructs the economic activities of agents through extortion, and may pay bribes to law enforcers in return for their compliance in this. We show how organized crime has a negative effect on growth, and how this effect may be either enhanced or mitigated in the presence of corruption. The latter of these possibilities is evidenced strongly in an exhaustive empirical investigation using a panel of Italian regions for the period 1983-2009. Details: Manchester, UK: Centre for Growth and Business Cycle Research, Economic Studies, University of Manchester, 2015. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper Series No. 210: Accessed March 26, 2016 at: http://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/medialibrary/cgbcr/discussionpapers/dpcgbcr210.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Italy URL: http://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/medialibrary/cgbcr/discussionpapers/dpcgbcr210.pdf Shelf Number: 138433 Keywords: Corruption Economics and CrimeExtortion Organized Crime |
Author: Vogel, Dita Title: The Concept of Demand in the Context of Trafficking in Human Beings: Using Contributions from Economics in Search of Clarification Summary: Working Paper 3 examines how economic contributions can help clarify some of the terminology used in the DemandAT project. It sets out economic theories of 'demand', and contrasts these to common understandings of the concept of demand and prices as employed in debates on anti-trafficking, as well as understandings of the role of coercion. The paper suggests that the use of these terms has often been vague and inconsistent. The paper illustrates these problems by looking at three examples of the application of economics concepts in literature on THB. It concludes that what is needed most urgently is more context dependent data interpretation, rather than more data. Details: Vienna: Demand-Side Measures Against Trafficking, 2015. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: DemandAT Working Paper No. 3: Accessed May 11, 2016 at: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_WP3_Vogel_Economics_for_Conceptual_Clarification_FINAL.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://www.demandat.eu/sites/default/files/DemandAT_WP3_Vogel_Economics_for_Conceptual_Clarification_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 139002 Keywords: Economics and CrimeHuman TraffickingSex TraffickingSexual Exploitation |
Author: Letlatsa, Oumama Tryphosa Title: The effects of organised crime on the macroeconomic stability of South Africa Summary: Economists usually distinguish between five macroeconomic objectives, namely, high and sustainable economic growth, full employment, price stability, balance of payments stability and the equitable distribution of income. This research deals with the economics of organised crime. It aims to examine the relationship between organised crime and the five macroeconomic objectives. To prove that organised crime has an impact on macroeconomic stability, it is necessary to show that it involves large sums of money relative to overall economic activity. Crime has always been mentioned as a factor that has an impact on the economic growth of a country, but the extent to which crime constrains growth and by what mechanisms it limits growth and development is unknown. This can be attributed to the underground nature of most organised criminal activities, such as money laundering. Very little research has been done on the costs and the extent of organised crime on the macroeconomy of South Africa. In attempting to quantify the costs of crime relative to the macroeconomy of South Africa, this research identifies various organised criminal activities. It examines the extent of the costs and the threats they pose to the macroeconomic stability of South Africa. This research shows that the political transformation and the resultant globalisation of South Africa during the early 1990s provided an ideal opportunity for organised crime structures to expand. It also shows that organised crime imposes direct and indirect costs on households and businesses, and therefore on the economy of South Africa as a whole. Organised crime diverts funds that could otherwise be invested in productive capacity, it discourages foreign investment and induces the government to spend money on law enforcement, crime prevention and the administration of justice, instead of spending it on the creation of additional employment opportunities. Tax revenue is also lost to money laundering. The abuse of the informal economy by money launderers has an impact on growth. Crime has prevented the growth of the tourist industry to its full potential given the country's reputation of violence. A loss of skilled personnel who left the country has also been experienced, citing crime as a reason to immigrate. Details: Johannesburg: University of Johannesburg, 2008. 118p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 28, 2016 at: http://ujdigispace.uj.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10210/3453/Letlatsa.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2008 Country: South Africa URL: http://ujdigispace.uj.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10210/3453/Letlatsa.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 139653 Keywords: Economics and CrimeOrganized CrimeSocioeconomic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Nunez, Hector Title: Is Crime in Mexico a Disamenity? Evidence from hedonic valuation approach Summary: Since Roback (1982)'s seminal work, the literature has evaluated the role of the amenities to equilibrate the regional differentials of nominal wages and prices. While these studies generally find evidence for traditional amenities and disamenities in developed countries, it still exists a scarce exploration on how those characteristics assessed, like violence, affect the equilibrium in less developed countries. In this paper, we explore violence as amenity or disamenity for the case of Mexico as a particular and unique natural experiment. We use the hedonic wage and rent theory proposed by Roback using data from the Mexican Household Income and Expenditure Survey, along with other information at municipal and state level. For our particular hypothesis, we find evidence to support that inhabitants in traditional drug trafficking states could consider drug-related crime as an amenity. Details: Documentos de Trabajo en Economia y Ciencia Regional from Universidad Catolica del Norte, Chile, Department of Economics , 2015. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=dWNuLmNsfHdwZWNvbm9taWF8Z3g6NDVlZTdlZWE3N2NlZDUzMQ Year: 2015 Country: Mexico URL: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=dWNuLmNsfHdwZWNvbm9taWF8Z3g6NDVlZTdlZWE3N2NlZDUzMQ Shelf Number: 139822 Keywords: Criminal ViolenceDrug TraffickingEconomics and CrimeViolent Crime |
Author: Das, Satadru Title: Analyzing the Impact of the World's Largest Public Works Project on Crime Summary: India started the implementation of a rural public works program in 2006, covering all districts of the country within three years. The program quarantees 100 days of employment per year at minimum wage to each rural household on demand, with the goal of reducing joblessness and poverty. We exploit the design and implementation of this program to investigate its employment impact on various types of crimes, ranging from burglary to kidnapping to riots. We show that the program acts as an insurance scheme because an increase in rainfall, which is negatively correlated with agricultural production, lowers the demand for jobs under the program. Controlling for rainfall, we find that employment generated by the program has a negative impact on both property and violent crime. Although crime elasticities with respect to employment are small, this finding represents another dimension of the social benefit generated by the program. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2016. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper 22499: Accessed August 27, 2016 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w22499.pdf Year: 2016 Country: India URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w22499.pdf Shelf Number: 140062 Keywords: Economics and crimeEmployment and Crime Poverty Property Crimes Socioeconomic Conditions and Crime Violent Crime |
Author: Yang, Crystal S. Title: Local Labor Markets and Criminal Recidivism Summary: This paper estimates the impact of local labor market conditions on criminal recidivism using rich administrative prison records on over four million offenders released from 43 states between 2000 and 2013. Exploiting each offender's exact date of release, I find that being released to a county with higher low-skilled employment and higher average low-skilled wages significantly decreases the risk of recidivism. The impact of higher wages on recidivism is larger for both black offenders and first-time offenders, and in sectors that report being more willing to hire ex-offenders. These results are robust to individual and county-level controls, policing and corrections activity, and do not appear to be driven by changes in the composition of released offenders during good or bad economic times. Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, John M. Olin Center for law, Economics, and Business, 2016. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper no. 861: Accessed August 30, 2016 at: http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/olin_center/papers/pdf/Yang_861.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/olin_center/papers/pdf/Yang_861.pdf Shelf Number: 140104 Keywords: Economics and CrimeEmployment and CrimeEx-Offenders and EmploymentRecidivism |
Author: Dix-Carneiro, Rafael Title: Local Labor Market Conditions and Crime: Evidence from the Brazilian Trade Liberalization Summary: This paper estimates the effect of local labor market conditions on crime in a developing country with high crime rates. Contrary to the previous literature, which has focused exclusively on developed countries with relatively low crime rates, we find that labor market conditions have a strong effect on homicides. We exploit the 1990s trade liberalization in Brazil as a natural experiment generating exogenous shocks to local labor demand. Regions facing more negative shocks experience large relative increases in crime rates in the medium term, but these effects virtually disappear in the long term. This pattern mirrors the labor market responses to the trade shocks. Using the trade liberalization episode to design an instrumental variables strategy, we find that a 10% reduction in expected labor market earnings (employment rate earnings) leads to a 39% increase in homicide rates. Our results highlight an additional dimension of adjustment costs following trade shocks that has so far been overlooked in the literature. Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2016. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper no. 9638: Accessed August 31, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2716579 Year: 2016 Country: Brazil URL: Shelf Number: 140255 Keywords: Crime RatesEconomics and CrimeEmployment and CrimeLabor markets |
Author: Alzua, Maria Laura Title: Workfare and Crime: Evidence for Argentina Summary: This paper investigates the effect of introducing a massive workfare program on property crimes. In order to circumvent the endogeneity problem common to joint factors determining crime and demand for workfare we make use of instrumental variables. We exploit two special features. First, the program was assigned according to political criteria which were trying to attract provinces and/or counties who were aligned with the national government. Second, the program was grant in mid-2002 and closed afterwards, so there were no new-comers to the program. We use political affiliation of different level of governments as instrument for the number of workfare programs per capita and find that the program reduced property crime but had no effect on other kinds of crime. The paper represents a contribution to the crime literature, since this issue has not been explored. If workfare programs have an effect on crime, then the welfare effect is different from the one often calculated in the literature. Details: Caracas, Venezuela: CAF DOCUMENTOS DE TRABAJO CAF WORKING PAPERS, 2011. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: CAF WORKING PAPERS N 2011/05 : Accessed September 8, 2016 at: https://www.caf.com/media/3894/201105Alzua.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Argentina URL: https://www.caf.com/media/3894/201105Alzua.pdf Shelf Number: 140253 Keywords: Economics and CrimeEmployment and CrimeProperty CrimePublic Welfare and Economic AssistanceUnemployment |
Author: Campaniello, Nadia Title: Returns to Education and Experience in Criminal Organizations: Evidence from the Italian-American Mafia Summary: Is there any return to education in criminal activities? This is the first paper that investigates whether education has not only a positive impact on legitimate, but also on illegitimate activities. We use as a case study one of the longest running criminal corporations in history: the Italian-American mafia. Its most successful members have been capable businessmen, orchestrating crimes that require abilities that might be learned at school: extracting the optimal rent when setting up a racket, weighting interests against default risk when starting a loan sharking business or organising supply chains, logistics and distribution when setting up a drug dealing system. We address this question by comparing mobsters with their closest (non-mobster) neighbors using United States Census data in 1940. We document that mobsters have one year less education than their neighbors on average. None of the specifications presented identified any significant difference in the returns to education between these two groups. Private returns to education exist also in the illegal activities characterised by a certain degree of complexity as in the case of organized crime in mid-twentieth century United States. Details: Essex, UK: University of Essex, Department of Economics, 2015. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper No. 763: Accessed October 17, 2016 at: http://repository.essex.ac.uk/13795/1/dp763.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://repository.essex.ac.uk/13795/1/dp763.pdf Shelf Number: 145075 Keywords: Economics and CrimeEducation and CrimeMafiaOrganized Crime |
Author: Irvin-Erickson, Yasemin Title: The Effect of Gun Violence on Local Economies: Gun Violence, Business, and Employment Trends in Minneapolis, Oakland, and Washington, DC Summary: This research report presents preliminary results on the effect of gun violence on local economies, providing findings from three cities: Minneapolis, Minnesota; Oakland, California; and Washington, DC. The study finds that an increase in gun homicides or gunfire in neighborhoods can lower the number of retail and service business establishments, the number of new jobs created, and the volume of sales in business establishments. While the specific types of local economic effects of gun violence differ by city, in all cities we found that an increase in gun violence has some type of a negative effect on business growth. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2016. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2016 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/85401/the-effect-of-gun-violence-on-local-economies.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/85401/the-effect-of-gun-violence-on-local-economies.pdf Shelf Number: 141041 Keywords: Economics and CrimeGun-Related Violence Homicides Neighborhoods and Crime |
Author: Brandariz Garcia, Jose Angel Title: The 'Great Recession' and Criminal Justice: The value of scarcity? Summary: The paper takes a'Great Recession' signifies the beginning of a new phase, with significant implications for the field of crime and punishment. Over the last few decades, market rationale as an organising principle has penetrated criminal justice public policies. However, there has been a tendency to overlook the economic principle of resource scarcity, and the recent evolution of the penal system in many jurisdictions appears to be characterised by an expansion which took for granted the unlimited elasticity of public resources. The paper looks at the cases of Spain and the United States, both countries that have seen recent contractions in their penal systems, and suggests that the economic crisis has led to the penetration within the criminal justice system of the concept of scarcity. The paper concludes with a suggestion to examine in depth the reasons underlying the change of tendency in the US case, in order to encourage a similar reduction in other jurisdictions Details: London: Howard League for Penal Reform, 2014. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Howard League What is Justice? Working Papers 7/2014: Accessed November 11, 2016 at: http://socialwelfare.bl.uk/subject-areas/services-activity/criminal-justice/howardleagueforpenalreform/167076HLWP_7_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Spain URL: http://socialwelfare.bl.uk/subject-areas/services-activity/criminal-justice/howardleagueforpenalreform/167076HLWP_7_2014.pdf Shelf Number: 146684 Keywords: Economic Conditions and CrimeEconomics and CrimeRecession |
Author: Enns, Peter K. Title: The Great Recession and State Criminal Justice Policy: Do Economic Hard Times Matter? Summary: Although the United States still imprisons a higher proportion of its population than any country in the world, in recent years, the decades-long trend of increasingly punitive criminal justice policies and a growing prison population has subsided. Changes unimaginable ten years ago, such as the decriminalization of certain low-level drug offenses, the closing of prisons, and a decline in the overall prison population have occurred. To what extent did the Great Recession influences these shifts? To answer these questions, we focus on state spending on corrections (i.e., spending on prisons, jails, and parole offices) and state incarceration rates. Because state correctional facilities house the overwhelming majority of those incarcerated in the United States, states offer a critical window into mass incarceration. States are also central to understanding the link between economic conditions and criminal justice outcomes. Most states have balanced budget requirements, which means that states cannot carry a deficit from year-to-year. If a bad economic climate leads to less state revenue, something must be cut—and large corrections budgets would be one candidate for reduction. Consistent with this expectation, we do find a relationship between state economic conditions and state expenditures on corrections. We do not, however, find evidence that the Great Recession spurred this relationship. In fact, our analysis suggests that changes in crime rates and the public's punitiveness have been the fundamental factors in recent state criminal justice outcomes. Details: New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2015. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2016 at: http://www.russellsage.org/sites/default/files/Recession_Enns_Criminal.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.russellsage.org/sites/default/files/Recession_Enns_Criminal.pdf Shelf Number: 146685 Keywords: Costs of CorrectionsCosts of Criminal JusticeCriminal Justice PolicyEconomic Conditions and CrimeEconomics and CrimeRecession |
Author: Cerro, Ana Maria Title: Business cycles and crime: The case of Argentina Summary: This study focus on the relationship between crime and business cycle in Argentina, at national and provincial level, using monthly time series for the period 1999-2008. For that end we examine the presence of common factors (interpreted as cyclical components) driving the dynamics of a set of types of crimes and monthly economic activity indicators (EMAE and ISAP). By means of Dynamic Factor Models we identify which type of crime is related to business cycle and if these crimes are leading, lagging or coincident. We find a strong counter-cyclical relationship between total and property crime rates and its typologies and business cycle. Additionally these series are slightly lagged with respect to business cycle. On the other hand, crimes against persons are found to be pro-cyclical and coincident. Details: Munich: Munich Personal RePEc Archive, 2012. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: MPRA Paper No. 44515: Accessed December 14, 2016 at: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/44515/1/MPRA_paper_44515.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Argentina URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/44515/1/MPRA_paper_44515.pdf Shelf Number: 144916 Keywords: Crime RatesEconomics and Crime |
Author: Detotto, Claudio Title: Counting the Cost of Crime in Italy Summary: The aim of this paper is to gauge the cost of crime in Italy by concentrating on a subset of offences covering about 64% of total recorded crime in year 2006. Following the breakdown of costs put forward by Brand and Price, we focus on the costs in anticipation, as a consequence and in response to a specific offence. The estimated total social cost is more than € 38 billion, which amounts to about 2.6% of Italy’s GDP. To show the usefulness of these measures, we borrow the elasticity estimates from recent studies concerning the determinants of crime in Italy and calculate the cost associated with the surge in crime fuelled by unemployment and pardons. Indeed, in both cases such costs are substantial, implying that they should no longer be skipped when assessing the relative desirability of public policies towards crime. Details: Caligari, Italy: Centre For North South Economic Research, 2010. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper 2010/13: Accessed December 19, 2016 at: 25p. Year: 2010 Country: Italy URL: Shelf Number: 147755 Keywords: Costs of CrimeCrime StatisticsEconomics and CrimeSocioeconomic Conditions and crime |
Author: Wong, Tom K. Title: The Effects of Sanctuary Policies on Crime and the Economy Summary: As the Trump administration begins to implement its immigration policy agenda, the issue of local assistance with federal immigration enforcement officials is back in the spotlight. So-called sanctuary jurisdictions are one focus of that debate. Sanctuary counties - as defined by this report - are counties that do not assist federal immigration enforcement officials by holding people in custody beyond their release date. Using an Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, dataset obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, the analyses in this report provide new insights about how sanctuary counties perform across a range of social and economic indicators when compared to nonsanctuary counties. To understand the effects of having a sanctuary policy, we statistically match counties based on a broad range of demographic characteristics and then compare sanctuary counties to nonsanctuary counties to better understand the effects that sanctuary policies have on a local jurisdiction. The data are clear: Crime is statistically significantly lower in sanctuary counties compared to nonsanctuary counties. Moreover, economies are stronger in sanctuary counties - from higher median household income, less poverty, and less reliance on public assistance to higher labor force participation, higher employment-to-population ratios, and lower unemployment. Among the main findings: There are, on average, 35.5 fewer crimes committed per 10,000 people in sanctuary counties compared to nonsanctuary counties. Median household annual income is, on average, $4,353 higher in sanctuary counties compared to nonsanctuary counties. The poverty rate is 2.3 percent lower, on average, in sanctuary counties compared to nonsanctuary counties. Unemployment is, on average, 1.1 percent lower in sanctuary counties compared to nonsanctuary counties. While the results hold true across sanctuary jurisdictions, the sanctuary counties with the smallest populations see the most pronounced effects. Altogether, the data suggest that when local law enforcement focuses on keeping communities safe, rather than becoming entangled in federal immigration enforcement efforts, communities are safer and community members stay more engaged in the local economy. This in turn brings benefits to individual households, communities, counties, and the economy as a whole. Details: Washington, DC: Center for American Progress; National Immigration Law Center, 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 6, 2017 at: https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Effects-Sanctuary-Policies-Crime-and-Economy-2017-01-26.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Effects-Sanctuary-Policies-Crime-and-Economy-2017-01-26.pdf Shelf Number: 146030 Keywords: Economics and CrimeImmigrants and CrimeImmigration PolicySanctuary PolicyUndocumented Immigrants |
Author: Dix-Carneiro, Rafael Title: Economic Shocks and Crime: Evidence from the Brazilian Trade Liberalization Summary: This paper studies the effect of changes in economic conditions on crime. We exploit the 1990s trade liberalization in Brazil as a natural experiment generating exogenous shocks to local economies. We document that regions exposed to larger tariff reductions experienced a temporary increase in crime following liberalization. Next, we investigate through what channels the trade-induced economic shocks may have affected crime. We show that the shocks had significant effects on potential determinants of crime, such as labor market conditions, public goods provision, and income inequality. We propose a novel framework exploiting the distinct dynamic responses of these variables to obtain bounds on the effect of labor market conditions on crime. Our results indicate that this channel accounts for 75 to 93 percent of the effect of the trade-induced shocks on crime. Details: Durham, NC: Duke University, 2016. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Economic Research Initiatives at Duke (ERID) Working Paper No. 242 : Accessed February 13, 2017 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2895107 Year: 2016 Country: Brazil URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2895107 Shelf Number: 145121 Keywords: Crime RatesEconomics and CrimeEmployment and CrimeLabor MarketsSocioeconomic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Capis, Salvatory Odhiambo Title: Socio-Economic Factors Contributing to Relapse of Reformed Convicts In Kenya: A Case of Vihiga District, Vihiga County Summary: Incidences of repeat offending have remained elusive amidst major efforts in transforming the societies for betterment. Correctional institutions have tried all that could be done to address notable negative behavioral characters but little remains to be observed. According to the Kenya Prison Reform Centre (KPRC), nearly two thirds of prisoners in Kenya re-offend within two years of release. However, factors that compel reformed convicts to relapse even after leaving prisons are not well understood. This study therefore examined the socio-economic factors that contribute to the relapse of reformed convicts in Kenya, with a specific view of Vihiga district. The study examined the following specific objectives: investigated how unemployment has contributed to the relapse of the reformed convicts within Vihiga District, examined Education as a factor in the relapse of reformed offenders within Vihiga District, analyzed the effects of drug abuse and how it has encouraged the relapsing of the reformed convicts within Vihiga District and assessed the attitudes of the community towards the reformed convicts and its effects in their relapse within Vihiga District. The study was guided by labeling theory to help understand how labels shape human behavior. The study area was Central Maragolli location of the Vihiga district. The total population of reformed convicts in the location was unknown due to the sensitivity of the attribute under study. The reformed convicts were therefore sampled through snowballing until saturation levels were reached. Simple random sampling was also done on Central Maragoli's house hold population of 5310 and a sample of 372 drawn based on Glen Israel's formula of determining sample size. The 372 households were targeted for a community survey. For the Ex-convicts, purposive sampling technique was utilized. 12 in-depth interviews were carried out with ex-convicts. The data collected was analyzed both quantitatively as well as qualitatively. The study findings pointed out that unemployment as a component of socio-economic factor contributed greatly to the relapse of the reformed convicts; with discrimination of the convicts leading the pack at 96.3%, suspicions rate at 83.9%, lack of locally viable skills at 83.9%, low educational levels and unmet ambitions at 64.9%. Educational level as a component of socio-economic factor contributed to the relapse of the reformed convicts with over 90% of those who recidivate being at primary levels while the number diminishes as one climbs higher levels in education. None was found to have relapsed at the University level of education. Drug abuse and addiction among the reformed convicts was also established to have contributed at 92.5% of the relapsed cases of the reformed convicts. Low and negative community attitude with heightened suspicions among the community members were among key factors that greatly contribute to the relapse of the reformed convicts. They have destroyed societal fibers meant to keep communities knit together. The study therefore concluded and recommended that; early identification and nurturing of local talents and individual initiatives be enhanced to reduce the future life explosion in the unemployment phenomenon. Programs that offer bursaries and other educational support as well as prevailing upon local leadership to initiate institutions of higher learning within the District to be enhanced in order to improve education standards. There is an argent need to domesticate and effectively implement the existing policy on drug use and abuse within the District. The already locally existing programs be effectively involved in transforming the negative community attitude toward the reformed convicts which increases their chances of relapsing after rehabilitation. Amongst others, the study proposed further research on challenges facing the Rehabilitation Programs on Offenders management within the community. Details: Nairobi: University of Nairobi, 2012. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 24, 2017 at: http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/56127/Capis_Socio-economic%20Factors%20Contributing%20To%20RelapseOf%20Reformed%20Convicts.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y Year: 2012 Country: Kenya URL: http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/56127/Capis_Socio-economic%20Factors%20Contributing%20To%20RelapseOf%20Reformed%20Convicts.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 145764 Keywords: Drug Abuse and CrimeEconomics and CrimeRecidivismRepeat OffendingSocio-economic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Manning, Matthew Title: Economic Analysis: A Brief Guide for Crime Prevention Practitioners Summary: Resources are always limited and decisions have to be made as to how to allocate them. In the context of crime prevention, economic analysis is about how limited resources have been used and might be better used to yield improved social outcomes. Economists have devised a range of techniques to assess the returns on resource usage in the private, public and voluntary sector. An extended document laying out the foundations of economic analysis and some forms it can take is available from Manning et al. (2015). Expert advice will be needed for all but the most basic analysis, and so the aim of this brief paper is to make you an intelligent consumer of such work, to alert you to the basic ideas, and to describe some options for the forms economic analysis can take and the uses to which it can be put. The key question is always that of determining how and where more might be got for the same or less investment. All uses of resources involve 'opportunity costs'. Opportunity costs comprise those uses to which resources could otherwise be put. Resources could be put to cars, buildings, staff or technology. Buildings might be used for one purpose or another. Volunteer time on a project could be put to earning a salary, to leisure or to some other voluntary activity. Police resources could be spent on patrol, efforts at detection, fostering neighbourhood watch or efforts to catch people speeding or some combination of these. And so on. Economic analysis is about helping you to make informed, evidence-based choices that will yield the best return. What goes into estimating both the costs and benefits of a given activity is crucial to economic analysis, and putting numbers to costs and benefits can be challenging. Analysing the significance of findings and working out their implications, especially when there are winners and losers, is tricky conceptually and practically. This work requires the use of models that will be unfamiliar to the layperson. There are many traps for the unwary, which is again why advice is needed to make sure that assumptions are valid and techniques sound. Ideally, the aim is to move towards 'Pareto efficiency,' a condition where no further changes in allocation will yield an advantage to one person that is not offset by making anyone else worse off. This is easier said than done! Indeed, where implemented policies affect diverse populations, Pareto efficiency will often be impossible to achieve in practice. Improvements, however, (Pareto) will be possible to achieve and from an economic perspective, an intervention is said to be "KaldorHicks" efficient if there are net social benefits. That is, if benefits are experienced by some sections of society and those benefits exceed any costs experienced by others. It is on this latter criterion that many forms of Economic Analysis (e.g. Cost Benefit Analysis, see below) are based. Details: London: College of Policing, 2015. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2017 at: http://whatworks.college.police.uk/Research/Documents/Economic_Analysis_brief-FINAL.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://whatworks.college.police.uk/Research/Documents/Economic_Analysis_brief-FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 147177 Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis Crime Analysis Crime Prevention Economic Analysis Economics and Crime |
Author: Veen, H.C.J. van der Title: National Risk Assessment on Money Laundering for the Netherlands Summary: Dutch policy to prevent and combat money laundering is based on the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and EU directives and regulations. The FATF - an intergovernmental body set up by the G7 in 1989 - focuses on global prevention of money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. The majority of the FATF's recommendations has been adopted into the fourth EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive, applicable to all EU member states. In short, Article 7 of this directive obliges EU member states to implement a risk-based policy against money laundering and terrorist financing and to establish a National Risk Assessment (NRA). The goal of this NRA is to identify the ten most significant risks relating to money laundering in terms of their potential impact and to assess the 'resilience' of the policy instruments designed to prevent and combat money laundering. Resilience entails the functioning of policy instruments (including legislation), whereby the following is applicable: the greater the resilience, the more the risks are combatted. This initial NRA also describes a number of lessons learned that could be taken into account in the process of subsequent NRAs. Details: The Hague: WODC, 2017. 105p. Source: Internet Resource: Cahier 2017-13a: Accessed July 2, 2018 at: https://english.wodc.nl/binaries/Cahier%202017-13a_2689c_Full%20text_tcm29-328683.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Netherlands URL: https://english.wodc.nl/binaries/Cahier%202017-13a_2689c_Full%20text_tcm29-328683.pdf Shelf Number: 150759 Keywords: Economics and CrimeFinancial CrimeMoney LaunderingRisk AssessmentTerrorist FinancingUnderground Banking |
Author: Scandinavian Research Council for Criminology Title: When the Unforeseen in Seen: NSFK Workshop in Reykjavik, Iceland, December 3-5 2009 and January 3-5 2011 Summary: The report is a collection of papers presented in NSfK's workshops "When the unforeseen is seen", in Reykjavik, Iceland, December 3-5 2009 and January 3-5 2011. On its annual board meeting in March of 2009 in Reykjavik, the Scandinavian Research Council for Criminology (SRCC) decided to organize a workshop on topics related to crisis and society. What prompted this move by SRCC was the then recent banking collapse in Iceland, followed by a social turmoil and world-wide media attention. Reykjavik was felt to be an ideal location to host the workshop since many observers had pointed to Iceland as the first victim of the crisis in W-Europe, and the nation being worst hit. The title of the workshop When the Unforeseen is Seen captures the theme of the workshop. Did these turbulent events come as a surprise or could they somehow be foreseen? The content should not only address current events, but also take a look at historic events and social turning points during earlier time periods. Moreover, the scope should be broad, not only including Nordic nations, but also other European nations, if possible. Crime and justice related topics were understandably supposed to be central, but if participants wanted to explore other aspects related to crisis and society, they were free to do so. The workshop was held at the University of Iceland in December 3-5, 2009. A total of nine participants from all of the Nordic nations participated and gave a total of ten presentations, including a summary remark. On this meeting it was decided to meet again to elaborate further on the papers presented, if funds from SRCC allowed. After being granted a positive response from SRCC the second workshop was held in Reykjavik in January 3-5, 2011. A total of eight participants attended and gave nine presentations, including two new participants, but three from the first meeting were not present. Details: Reykjavik: The Research Council, 2011. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2018 at: http://www.nsfk.org/Portals/0/Archive/1_When%20the%20unforeseen%20is%20seen.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Iceland URL: http://www.nsfk.org/Portals/0/Archive/1_When%20the%20unforeseen%20is%20seen.pdf Shelf Number: 151158 Keywords: Crime RatesCriminal JusticeEconomics and CrimeHomicide |
Author: Willingham, Kelsey J.V. Title: Corruption, Capitalists, and the Crime-State Nexus: Criminal Infiltration of the Russian Economy and Implications for the Future Summary: At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Russian organized crime has established itself as a major force in the economy of the Russian Federation, blurring the lines between legal and illegal economic activities. As early as 2001, it was estimated that organized crime controlled more than forty percent of the total economy of the Russian Federation. The Russian Interior Ministry has estimated that "two-thirds of the Russian economy is under the sway of organized crime, including 40 percent of private businesses, 60 percent of state-owned enterprises, and more than half of the 1,740 banks." In the 2009 Index of Economic Freedom, the Heritage Foundation ranked the Russian Federation 146th in the world, with significant concerns regarding fiscal freedom, property rights, and freedom from corruption. The World Bank has declared corruption the "single greatest threat to economic and social development." The continued influence of Russian organized crime over the Russian economy represents a direct threat to the future of the Russian Federation. This paper examines the evolution of organized crime and corruption in relation to the Russian economy. A historical perspective of Russian organized crime's economic role during the Soviet Union is provided, followed by an examination of the factors that enabled unprecedented economic infiltration during the transition period and privatization. Next is an assessment of organized criminal influence in three crucial sectors of the Russian economy: banking, mineral-industrial, and energy. Finally, this paper examines current policies and their shortcomings, and provides a series of policy recommendations for lessening the economic influence of organized crime and ensuring the development of a properly functioning market economy in the Russian Federation. Details: George Mason University, School of Public Policy, 2010. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: New Voices in Public policy, V. IV: Accessed September 13, 2018 at: https://journals.gmu.edu/newvoices/article/view/18 Year: 2010 Country: Russia URL: https://journals.gmu.edu/newvoices/article/view/18 Shelf Number: 151510 Keywords: Economics and CrimeOrganized Crime Political Corruption |