Victim Incentives and Criminal Activity: Evidence from Bus Driver Robberies in Chile

A-Tier
Journal: Review of Economics and Statistics
Year: 2022
Volume: 104
Issue: 5
Pages: 946-961

Score contribution per author:

4.036 = (α=2.02 / 1 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper analyzes crime as a function of the interaction between offenders and victims. I study robbery of bus drivers, a crime that remains common in cities throughout the world. Exploiting the timing of a Chilean public transportation reform and detailed administrative data, I show how victims' propensity to resist an attack can alter the level and nature of criminal activity. I also find a large decline in crime after the implementation of a technological innovation that eliminated cash transactions on buses. My results suggest a strong relationship between victim incentives, cash, and crime.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:tpr:restat:v:104:y:2022:i:5:p:946-961
Journal Field
General
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-25