The rising trends both in drug addiction and crime rates are of major public concern in Germany. Surprisingly, the economic theory of crime seems to ignore the drugs?crime nexus, whereas the criminological literature considers illicit drug use a main reason of criminal activities. This paper provides an econometric assessment of the drugs?crime channel within a Becker?Ehrlich model of crime supply. We analyse three different channels from drug abuse to crime: system?related, economic?related and pharmacological effects. Estimation with panel data from the German states allows us to take into account further factors that might influence both drug abuse and crime. The results indicate that drug offences have a significant impact, in particular on property crimes. We attribute this to a strong economic?related channel of drug abuse on crime. --
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Paper provided by ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research in its series ZEW Discussion Papers with number
01-37.
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Find related papers by JEL classification: J49 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Other K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law I19 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Other C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data
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