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Social Interactions and Crime revisited: An Investigation using Individual Offender Data in Dutch Neighborhoods

Author

Listed:
  • Wim Bernasco

    (NSCR)

  • Thomas de Graaff

    (VU University Amsterdam)

  • Jan Rouwendal

    (VU University Amsterdam)

  • Wouter Steenbeek

    (NSCR)

Abstract

Using data on the age, sex, ethnicity and criminal involvement of 14.3 million residents aged 10–89 residing in 4,007 neighborhoods in the Netherlands, this article tests if an individual’s criminal involvement is affected by the proportion of criminals living in their neighborhood of residence. We develop a binomial discrete choice model for criminal involvement and estimate it on individual data. We control for the endogeneity that may be related to the unobserved neighborhood characteristics and take into account possible biases that may result from sorting behavior. We find strongly significant social interaction effects and explore their implications for the presence of multiple equilibria and social multipliers.

Suggested Citation

  • Wim Bernasco & Thomas de Graaff & Jan Rouwendal & Wouter Steenbeek, 2012. "Social Interactions and Crime revisited: An Investigation using Individual Offender Data in Dutch Neighborhoods," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 12-108/VIII, Tinbergen Institute, revised 28 Apr 2014.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20120108
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Freeman, Scott & Grogger, Jeffrey & Sonstelie, Jon, 1996. "The Spatial Concentration of Crime," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 216-231, September.
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    3. Coralio Ballester & Antoni Calvó-Armengol & Yves Zenou, 2010. "Delinquent Networks," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 8(1), pages 34-61, March.
    4. William N. Evans & Wallace E. Oates & Robert M. Schwab & William N. Evans & Wallace E. Oates & Robert M. Schwab, 2004. "Measuring Peer Group Effects: A Study of Teenage Behavior," Chapters, in: Environmental Policy and Fiscal Federalism, chapter 13, pages 232-257, Edward Elgar Publishing.
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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Wen & Xu, Zhicheng, 2025. "Lost in translation: Dialect distance, social assimilation and immigrant crimes in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    2. Tripathi, Jai Prakash & Bugalia, Sarita & Burdak, Kavita & Abbas, Syed, 2021. "Dynamical analysis and effects of law enforcement in a social interaction model," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 567(C).
    3. Lindquist, Matthew J. & Zenou, Yves, 2019. "Crime and Networks: 10 Policy Lessons," IZA Discussion Papers 12534, IZA Network @ LISER.
    4. Disney, Richard & Gathergood, John & Machin, Stephen & Sandi, Matteo, 2024. "Human capital from childhood exposure to homeownership: evidence from Right-to-Buy," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 126765, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. repec:osf:socarx:am6gq_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Brown, Zachary S. & Connor, Lawson & Rejesus, Roderick M. & Yorobe, Jose M., 2021. "Landscape-level feedbacks in the demand for transgenic pesticidal corn in the Philippines," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    7. Bernt Bratsberg & Øystein Hernæs & Simen Markussen & Oddbjørn Raaum & Knut Røed, 2019. "Welfare Activation and Youth Crime," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 101(4), pages 561-574, October.
    8. Richard Disney & John Gathergood & Stephen Machin & Matteo Sandi, 2020. "Does homeownership reduce crime? A radical housing reform in Britain," CEP Discussion Papers dp1685, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    9. Lin, Xu & Zhang, Jihu & Jiang, Shanhe, 2022. "Spatial and temporal correlations of crime in Detroit: Evidence from spatial dynamic panel data models," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Richard Disney & John Gathergood & Stephen Machin & Matteo Sandi, 2023. "Does Homeownership Reduce Crime? A Radical Housing Reform from the UK," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(655), pages 2640-2675.
    11. Lindquist, Matthew & Patacchini, Eleonora & Vlassopoulos, Michael & Zenou, Yves, 2024. "Spillovers in Criminal Networks: Evidence from Co-Offender Deaths," CEPR Discussion Papers 19159, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    12. Mulalic, Ismir & Rouwendal, Jan, 2020. "Does improving public transport decrease car ownership? Evidence from a residential sorting model for the Copenhagen metropolitan area," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    13. van Duijn, Mark & Rouwendal, Jan, 2021. "Sorting based on urban heritage and income: Evidence from the Amsterdam metropolitan area," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    14. Emeline Bezin & Thierry Verdier & Yves Zenou, 2022. "Crime, Broken Families, and Punishment," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 723-760, November.
    15. Zhiling Wang & Thomas de Graaff & Peter Nijkamp, 2018. "Barriers of Culture, Networks, and Language in International Migration: A Review," REGION, European Regional Science Association, vol. 5, pages 73-89.
    16. Giovanni Maria Giorgi, 2019. "The Gini concentration ratio: Back to the future," RIEDS - Rivista Italiana di Economia, Demografia e Statistica - The Italian Journal of Economic, Demographic and Statistical Studies, SIEDS Societa' Italiana di Economia Demografia e Statistica, vol. 73(2), pages 5-14, April-Jun.
    17. Sandher, Jeevun, 2022. "Familiar Faces, Worn Out Places: The Effect of Personal and Place Prosperity On Well-Being," SocArXiv am6gq, Center for Open Science.
    18. Street, Brittany, 2025. "The impact of economic opportunity on criminal behavior: Evidence from the fracking boom," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • R1 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics
    • R2 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis

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