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Do Immigrants Make Us Safer? A Model on Crime, Immigration and the Labor Market

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Bassetti

    (Universit… di Padova)

  • Luca Corazzini

    (Universit… di Padova)

  • Darwin Cortes

    (Universidad del Rosario)

  • Luca Nunziata

    (Universit… di Padova)

Abstract

We present a two-country equilibrium model with search costs in which the structural characteristics of the labor market in each economy affects the relationship between immigration and crime. The main result of the model is that countries with ?flexible labor markets are likely to see a negative relationship between immigration and crime. By combining data from the European Social Survey with the OECD Employment Protection Index, we find supporting evidence in favor of this theoretical prediction. A policy implication of our study is that migration from a country with a rigid labor market to a country with a more fl?exile labor market is mutually beneficial in terms of reducing crime rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Bassetti & Luca Corazzini & Darwin Cortes & Luca Nunziata, 2013. "Do Immigrants Make Us Safer? A Model on Crime, Immigration and the Labor Market," "Marco Fanno" Working Papers 0121, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno".
    • Handle: RePEc:pad:wpaper:0121
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Milo Bianchi & Paolo Buonanno & Paolo Pinotti, 2012. "Do Immigrants Cause Crime?," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 10(6), pages 1318-1347, December.
    2. George J. Borjas & Jeffrey Grogger & Gordon H. Hanson, 2006. "Immigration and African-American Employment Opportunities: The Response of Wages, Employment, and Incarceration to Labor Supply Shocks," NBER Working Papers 12518, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Kenneth Burdett & Ricardo Lagos & Randall Wright, 2004. "An On-The-Job Search Model Of Crime, Inequality, And Unemployment," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 45(3), pages 681-706, August.
    4. Cesar Alonso & Nuno Garoupa & Marcelo Perera & Pablo Vazquez, 2008. "Immigration and Crime in Spain, 1999-2006," Working Papers 2008-34, FEDEA.
    5. Engelhardt, Bryan & Rocheteau, Guillaume & Rupert, Peter, 2008. "Crime and the labor market: A search model with optimal contracts," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(10-11), pages 1876-1891, October.
    6. Kenneth Burdett & Ricardo Lagos & Randall Wright, 2003. "Crime, Inequality, and Unemployment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(5), pages 1764-1777, December.
    7. Carolyn Moehling & Anne Morrison Piehl, 2007. "Immigration and Crime in Early 20th Century America," Departmental Working Papers 200704, Rutgers University, Department of Economics.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Crime Rate; Labor Market; Immigration.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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