Graduate Program
Economics
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Semester of Degree Completion
2012
Thesis Director
Dan Hickman
Thesis Committee Member
Mukti Upadhay
Thesis Committee Member
Tim Mason
Abstract
This study examines how government spending affects crime. Specifically, it is a longitudinal study of property crime in Illinois. The main model is: Property Crime = B1+B2(Deterrence spending)+B3(Other Social spending)+B4(Lagged Unemployment rate). Other Social Spending is Library spending, Hospital spending, and Higher Education spending by state and local governments in real per-capita form combined. Deterrence spending is the combined spending on police and corrections in real percapita form. The results from an OLS model on this equation showed Other Social spending was 50% more effective at reducing property crime than Deterrence spending. However, there was some multicollinearity and a time trend in the data, so the results could use verification.
Recommended Citation
Shepherd, Kenneth, "Iron bars or libraries: Which will reduce crime more?" (2012). Masters Theses. 809.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/809
