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The Role of Public Security Reforms on Violent Crime Dynamics

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  • Danilo Souza

  • Mateus Maciel

Abstract

In the context of increasing violence, public security reforms are commonly advocated as a solution to the problem despite the lack of empirical evidence. We address this question by evaluating the effect of the Pacto pela Vida program, a comprehensive reform on the public security of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. We document a reduction of 16 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants following the program implementation. We show that a reduction in crimes occurring on the streets and associated with young males and firearm availability are likely to have contributed to the program's effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Danilo Souza & Mateus Maciel, 2024. "The Role of Public Security Reforms on Violent Crime Dynamics," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2024_19, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    • Handle: RePEc:spa:wpaper:2024wpecon19
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    File URL: http://www.repec.eae.fea.usp.br/documentos/Souza_Maciel_19WP.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ater, Itai & Givati, Yehonatan & Rigbi, Oren, 2014. "Organizational structure, police activity and crime," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 62-71.
    2. Rodrigo R. Soares & Igor Viveiros, 2017. "Organization and Information in the Fight against Crime: The Integration of Police Forces in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil," Economía Journal, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association - LACEA, vol. 0(Spring 20), pages 29-63.
    3. Emily Owens & Bocar Ba, 2021. "The Economics of Policing and Public Safety," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 35(4), pages 3-28, Fall.
    4. Mark Gius, 2020. "Using the synthetic control method to determine the effects of firearm seizure laws on state-level murder rates," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(21), pages 1754-1758, December.
    5. Sant’Anna, Pedro H.C. & Zhao, Jun, 2020. "Doubly robust difference-in-differences estimators," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 219(1), pages 101-122.
    6. Barros, Fernando & Delalibera, Bruno R. & Neto, Valdemar Pinho & Rodrigues, Victor, 2022. "Bonus for firearms seizures and police performance," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    7. Callaway, Brantly & Sant’Anna, Pedro H.C., 2021. "Difference-in-Differences with multiple time periods," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 200-230.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • H76 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Other Expenditure Categories
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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