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Income Distribution and the Fear of Crime: Evidence from Germany

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  • Michelle Acampora
  • Conchita D'Ambrosio
  • Markus M. Grabka

Abstract

We here explore the link between individual concerns about crime and the distribution of income in Germany. We make use of 1995-2017 microdata from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) to show that both individual polarization and relative deprivation have statistically-significant effects on reported concerns about crime, while relative satisfaction plays no role. At the aggregate level, the main driver is equally income polarization, whereas the standard measure of inequality, the Gini index, plays no significant role.

Suggested Citation

  • Michelle Acampora & Conchita D'Ambrosio & Markus M. Grabka, 2020. "Income Distribution and the Fear of Crime: Evidence from Germany," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1071, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp1071
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Esteban, Joan & Ray, Debraj, 1999. "Conflict and Distribution," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 379-415, August.
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    3. Scarborough, Brittney K. & Like-Haislip, Toya Z. & Novak, Kenneth J. & Lucas, Wayne L. & Alarid, Leanne F., 2010. "Assessing the relationship between individual characteristics, neighborhood context, and fear of crime," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 819-826, July.
    4. D'Ambrosio, Conchita & Rodrigues, Rute Imanishi, 2008. "Deprivation in the São Paulo Districts: Evidence from 2000," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 1094-1112, June.
    5. James B. Davies, 2016. "The Gini Coefficient and Personal Inequality Measurement," University of Western Ontario, Departmental Research Report Series 20161, University of Western Ontario, Department of Economics.
    6. Shlomo Yitzhaki, 1979. "Relative Deprivation and the Gini Coefficient," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 93(2), pages 321-324.
    7. David Rueda & Daniel Stegmueller, 2016. "The Externalities of Inequality: Fear of Crime and Preferences for Redistribution in Western Europe," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 60(2), pages 472-489, April.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Concerns about crime; deprivation; inequality; polarization; SOEP;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • D60 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - General

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