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Partners in Crime

Author

Listed:
  • Stephen B. Billings
  • David J. Deming
  • Stephen L. Ross

Abstract

Social interactions may explain the large variance in criminal activity across neighborhoods and time. We present direct evidence of social spillovers in crime using random variation in neighborhood residence along opposite sides of a newly drawn school boundary. We first show evidence for agglomeration effects—within small neighborhood areas, grouping more disadvantaged students together in the same school increases total crime. We then show that these youths are more likely to be arrested for committing crimes together—to be "partners in crime". Our results show that neighborhood and school segregation increase crime by fostering social interactions between at-risk youth.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen B. Billings & David J. Deming & Stephen L. Ross, 2019. "Partners in Crime," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(1), pages 126-150, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:11:y:2019:i:1:p:126-50
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.20170249
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Grenet, Julien & Grönqvist, Hans & Niknami, Susan, 2024. "The effects of electronic monitoring on offenders and their families," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    2. Büchel, Konstantin & Ehrlich, Maximilian V. & Puga, Diego & Viladecans-Marsal, Elisabet, 2020. "Calling from the outside: The role of networks in residential mobility," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    3. Kegon Teng Kok Tan & Mariyana Zapryanova, 2019. "The Role of Prison in Recidivism," Working Papers 2019-083, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    4. Fletcher, Jason M. & Ross, Stephen L. & Zhang, Yuxiu, 2020. "The consequences of friendships: Evidence on the effect of social relationships in school on academic achievement," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    5. Ziteng Lei, 2022. "Short-run and long-run effects of peers from disrupted families," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(3), pages 1007-1036, July.
    6. Steinberg, Matthew P. & Ukert, Benjamin & MacDonald, John M., 2019. "Schools as places of crime? Evidence from closing chronically underperforming schools," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 125-140.
    7. Oosterbeek, Hessel & Sóvágó, Sándor & van der Klaauw, Bas, 2021. "Preference heterogeneity and school segregation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    8. McCartney, W. Ben & Shah, Avni M., 2022. "Household mortgage refinancing decisions are neighbor influenced, especially along racial lines," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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    This item is featured on the following reading lists, Wikipedia, or ReplicationWiki pages:
    1. Partners in Crime (American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 2019) in ReplicationWiki

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