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Happiness, Ideology and Crime in Argentine Cities

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  • Rafael di Tella
  • Ernesto Schargrodsky

Abstract

This paper uses self-reported data on victimization, subjective well being and ideology for a panel of individuals living in six Argentine cities. While no relationship is found between happiness and victimization experiences, a correlation is documented, however, between victimization experience and changes in ideological positions. Specifically, individuals who are the victims of crime are subsequently more likely than non-victims to state that inequality is high in Argentina and that the appropriate measure to reduce crime is to become less punitive (demanding lower penalties for the same crime).

Suggested Citation

  • Rafael di Tella & Ernesto Schargrodsky, 2009. "Happiness, Ideology and Crime in Argentine Cities," Research Department Publications 4645, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    • Handle: RePEc:idb:wpaper:4645
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Di Tella, Rafael & Freira, Lucía & Gálvez, Ramiro H. & Schargrodsky, Ernesto & Shalom, Diego & Sigman, Mariano, 2019. "Crime and violence: Desensitization in victims to watching criminal events," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 613-625.
    2. Fernando Borraz & Cecilia Chouhy & Irene Mussio & Máximo Rossi, 2013. "Vigilante Justice and Police Protocols in the Latin American South Cone," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 0913, Department of Economics - dECON.
    3. Martinique Cordeiro & Prudence Kwenda & Miracle Ntuli, 2020. "Crime and Life Satisfaction: Evidence from South Africa - Gauteng Province," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(3), pages 715-736, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Happiness; crime; beliefs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • R29 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Other

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