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Crime and arrests: deterrence or resource reallocation?

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  • Thomas Garrett
  • Lesli Ott

Abstract

We use monthly time-series data for 20 large US cities to test the deterrence hypothesis (arrests reduce crimes) and the resource reallocation hypothesis (arrests follow from an increase in crime). We find (1) weak support for the deterrence hypothesis, (2) much stronger support for the resource reallocation hypothesis and (3) differences in city-level estimates suggest much heterogeneity in the crime and arrest relationship across regions.

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  • Thomas Garrett & Lesli Ott, 2011. "Crime and arrests: deterrence or resource reallocation?," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(12), pages 1171-1175.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apeclt:v:18:y:2011:i:12:p:1171-1175
    DOI: 10.1080/13504851.2010.528354
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    1. Klick, Jonathan & Tabarrok, Alexander, 2005. "Using Terror Alert Levels to Estimate the Effect of Police on Crime," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 48(1), pages 267-279, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Philip A. Curry & Anindya Sen & George Orlov, 2016. "Crime, apprehension and clearance rates: Panel data evidence from Canadian provinces," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 49(2), pages 481-514, May.
    2. Yu Liu & Thomas M. Fullerton Jr. & Nathan J. Ashby, 2013. "Assessing The Impacts Of Labor Market And Deterrence Variables On Crime Rates In Mexico," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 31(4), pages 669-690, October.

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