Economics: Faculty Publications
The War on Drugs and Crime Rates
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-30-2012
Publication Title
Journal of Business and Economics Research
DOI
10.19030/jber.v10i5.6980
ISSN
2157-8893
Abstract
This paper analyzes the effects of the War on Drugs on crime rates. Many in the field of law enforcement believe that incarcerating drug offenders reduces crime. However, time-series analysis of four types of crime rates in the United States does not support this view. Using seven explanatory variables, including federal spending on the Drug Enforcement Agency, incarceration rates for drug offenders, and abortion rates, the results suggest the incarceration of drug offenders causes a crowding-out effect in prisons, releasing non-drug offenders and thereby potentially increasing, rather than reducing crime.
Recommended Citation
Saadatmand, Yassaman, Michael Toma, Jeremy Choquette.
2012.
"The War on Drugs and Crime Rates."
Journal of Business and Economics Research, 10 (5): The Clute Institute.
doi: 10.19030/jber.v10i5.6980
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/economics-facpubs/42
Copyright
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