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The lasting effects of natural disasters on property crime: Evidence from the 2010 Chilean earthquake

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  • García Hombrados, Jorge

Abstract

Natural disasters cause human losses, destroy economic assets and are often followed by widespread looting and altruistic behaviours of many individuals; affecting ambiguously the long-term benefits and costs of committing crime and the demand for crime prevention. Using household data from victimisation surveys and a difference in difference strategy, this paper shows that municipalities exposed to the 8.8 Richter magnitude earthquake that struck Chile in February 2010 experienced lasting reductions in the prevalence of property crime. The results of the analysis of mechanisms are consistent with a positive effect of the earthquake on the strength of community life and the subsequent adoption of community-based crime prevention measures.

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  • García Hombrados, Jorge, 2020. "The lasting effects of natural disasters on property crime: Evidence from the 2010 Chilean earthquake," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 114-154.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:175:y:2020:i:c:p:114-154
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2020.04.008
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    1. Buonanno, Paolo & Plevani, Giacomo & Puca, Marcello, 2023. "Earthquake hazard and civic capital," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Aoki, Yu & Koutmeridis, Theodore, 2019. "Shaking Criminal Incentives," IZA Discussion Papers 12781, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Lu, Wei & Yang, Po & Zheng, Shilin & Zhou, Sen, 2023. "Natural disasters and high-stakes exam performance: Evidence from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    4. Domínguez, Magdalena & Montolio, Daniel, 2021. "Bolstering community ties as a mean of reducing crime," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 916-945.
    5. Testa, Patrick A., 2021. "Shocks and the spatial distribution of economic activity: The role of institutions," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 791-810.
    6. Yu, Weihua & Hu, Jingjing & Deng, Chenchen, 2024. "Overflowing waters, diluted investments: The enduring impact of historical Yellow River floods on enterprise fixed assets investments," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Bertinelli, Luisito & Mahé, Clotilde & Strobl, Eric, 2023. "Earthquakes and mental health," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    8. Xiaodong Zhu & Zijing Jin & Shunsuke Managi & XiRong Xun, 2021. "How meteorological disasters affect the labor market? The moderating effect of government emergency response policy," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 107(3), pages 2625-2640, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Natural disasters; Crime; Social capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K4 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior
    • H8 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues

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