Location
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
Start Date
1-5-2014 9:00 AM
End Date
1-5-2014 10:00 AM
Project Type
Poster
Description
According to a government survey released in October 2013, violent crime in the United States increased by 15 percent last year, and property crime was up by 12 percent. If violent crime keeps increasing at this rate, it will approximately double in just six years. To effectively allocate resources (money, police, courts, prisons), specialists in the economics of crime should fully understand the most pivotal determinants of each type of crime. Our study finds the extent to which some socioeconomic factors and regulatory measures (high school dropout rate, median income, unemployment rates, imprisonment rate, number of police officers, and the political party in precedency) relate to violent and property crime rates. Our data analysis suggests that in comparison to law enforcement variables, socioeconomic factors exert a higher influence on both violent crime and property crime rates. In other words, socioeconomic improvements would be much more effective in deterring crime as compared to tougher law enforcement. The effects of our law enforcement variables are uncertain and inconsistent. Policy makers must therefore understand they must allocate more resources in improving general economic conditions.
Sponsoring Department
Colby College. Economics Dept.
CLAS Field of Study
Social Sciences
Event Website
http://www.colby.edu/clas
ID
661
Included in
How Effectively Do Law Enforcement and Socioeconomic Improvements Aid to Deter Violent Crimes and Property Crimes in the USA?
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
According to a government survey released in October 2013, violent crime in the United States increased by 15 percent last year, and property crime was up by 12 percent. If violent crime keeps increasing at this rate, it will approximately double in just six years. To effectively allocate resources (money, police, courts, prisons), specialists in the economics of crime should fully understand the most pivotal determinants of each type of crime. Our study finds the extent to which some socioeconomic factors and regulatory measures (high school dropout rate, median income, unemployment rates, imprisonment rate, number of police officers, and the political party in precedency) relate to violent and property crime rates. Our data analysis suggests that in comparison to law enforcement variables, socioeconomic factors exert a higher influence on both violent crime and property crime rates. In other words, socioeconomic improvements would be much more effective in deterring crime as compared to tougher law enforcement. The effects of our law enforcement variables are uncertain and inconsistent. Policy makers must therefore understand they must allocate more resources in improving general economic conditions.
https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2014/program/454