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On the Choice of Control Variables in the Crime Equation

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  • Carlisle E. Moody
  • Thomas B. Marvell

Abstract

Although control variables are the reason for multiple regression, surprising little attention is given to the process of locating and selecting the controls. If important controls are omitted, estimates can be biased and inconsistent whereas using too many controls can reduce efficiency and mask effects. We advocate a much broader search for controls than is customary, at least in the crime literature, and then the use of the general‐to‐specific methodology to select the relevant controls. We illustrate this procedure using a fixed effects panel data design evaluating the effect of legalized abortion on crime.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlisle E. Moody & Thomas B. Marvell, 2010. "On the Choice of Control Variables in the Crime Equation," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 72(5), pages 696-715, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:obuest:v:72:y:2010:i:5:p:696-715
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0084.2010.00602.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Ligthart, J.E. & Rider, M. & Wang, R., 2013. "Does the Fiscal Decentralization Promote Public Safety? Evidence from United States," Discussion Paper 2013-021, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    4. Islam,Asif Mohammed, 2016. "An exploration of the relationship between police presence, crime, and business in developing countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7560, The World Bank.
    5. Michal Brzezinski, 2013. "Top income shares and crime," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(4), pages 309-315, March.
    6. Michał Brzeziński & Maria Halber, 2012. "Testing the Perturbation Sensitivity of Abortion-Crime Regressions," Contemporary Economics, Vizja University, vol. 6(2), June.
    7. Jinghua Lei & Jenny Ligthart & Mark Rider & Ruixin Wang, 2022. "Fiscal fragmentation and crime control: Is there an efficiency-equity tradeoff?," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(3), pages 751-787, June.
    8. Alexander Chudik & M. Hashem Pesaran & Jui‐Chung Yang, 2018. "Half‐panel jackknife fixed‐effects estimation of linear panels with weakly exogenous regressors," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(6), pages 816-836, September.
    9. Lefort, Fernando & Díaz, Fernando, 2025. "Analyzing price efficiency using machine learning generated price indices: The case of the Chilean used car market," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    10. Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra & Ulf Andersson & Mary Yoko Brannen & Bo Bernhard Nielsen & A. Rebecca Reuber, 2016. "From the Editors: Can I trust your findings? Ruling out alternative explanations in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(8), pages 881-897, October.

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