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The Impact of Living-Wage Ordinances on Urban Crime

Author

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  • Jose Fernandez
  • Thomas Holman
  • John V. Pepper

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="irel12065-abs-0001"> We examine the impact of living wages on crime. Past research has found that living wages appear to increase unemployment while providing greater returns to market work. The impact on crime, therefore, is unclear. Using data on annual crime rates for large cities in the United States, we find that living-wage ordinances are associated with notable reductions in property-related crime and no discernable impact on nonproperty crimes.

Suggested Citation

  • Jose Fernandez & Thomas Holman & John V. Pepper, 2014. "The Impact of Living-Wage Ordinances on Urban Crime," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 478-500, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:indres:v:53:y:2014:i:3:p:478-500
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/irel.2014.53.issue-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Randi Hjalmarsson & Stephen Machin & Paolo Pinotti, 2024. "Crime and the labor market," CEP Discussion Papers dp2044, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    2. David Neumark, 2024. "The effects of minimum wages on (almost) everything? A review of recent evidence on health and related behaviors," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 38(1), pages 1-65, March.
    3. Fone, Zachary S. & Sabia, Joseph J. & Cesur, Resul, 2023. "The unintended effects of minimum wage increases on crime," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    4. Li Li & Haoming Liu, 2024. "The minimum wage and cross-community crime disparities," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(2), pages 1-37, June.
    5. Zachary S. Fone & Joseph J. Sabia & Resul Cesur, 2019. "Do Minimum Wage Increases Reduce Crime?," NBER Working Papers 25647, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. repec:crm:wpaper:2624 is not listed on IDEAS

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