Iron bars or libraries: Which will reduce crime more?

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.

Date of Award	2012
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	Eastern Illinois University
Supervisor	Daniel C. Hickman (Supervisor)