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Does Wealth Inhibit Criminal Behavior? Evidence from Swedish Lottery Winners and Their Children

Author

Listed:
  • Cesarini, David

    (New York University)

  • Lindqvist, Erik

    (Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University)

  • Östling, Robert

    (Stockholm School of Economics)

  • Schroeder, Christofer

    (European Central Bank)

Abstract

There is a well-established negative gradient between economic status and crime, but its underlying causal mechanisms are not well understood. We use data on four Swedish lotteries matched to data on criminal convictions to gauge the causal effect of financial windfalls on player`s own crime and their children`s delinquency. We estimate a positive but statistically insignificant effect of lottery wealth on players`own conviction risk. Our estimates allows us to rule out effects one fifth as large as the cross-sectional gradient between income and crime. We also estimate a less precise null effect of parental lottery wealth on child delinquency.

Suggested Citation

  • Cesarini, David & Lindqvist, Erik & Östling, Robert & Schroeder, Christofer, 2023. "Does Wealth Inhibit Criminal Behavior? Evidence from Swedish Lottery Winners and Their Children," Working Paper Series 16/2023, Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:sofiwp:2023_016
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    Keywords

    economics of crime; juvenile crime; income and wealth inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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