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Incidence and Costs of Personal and Property Crimes in the USA, 2017

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  • Miller, Ted R.
  • Cohen, Mark A.
  • Swedler, David I.
  • Ali, Bina
  • Hendrie, Delia V.

Abstract

Total cost estimates for crime in the USA are both out-of-date and incomplete. We estimated incidence and costs of personal crimes (both violent and non-violent) and property crimes in 2017. Incidence came from national arrest data, multi-state estimates of police-reported crimes per arrest, national victimization and road crash surveys, and police underreporting studies. We updated and expanded upon published unit costs. Estimated crime costs totaled $2.6 trillion ($620 billion in monetary costs plus quality of life losses valued at $1.95 trillion; 95 % uncertainty interval $2.2–$3.0 trillion). Violent crime accounted for 85 % of costs. Principal contributors to the 10.9 million quality-adjusted life years lost were sexual violence, physical assault/robbery, and child maltreatment. Monetary expenditures caused by criminal victimization represent 3 % of Gross Domestic Product – equivalent to the amount spent on national defense. These estimates exclude the additional costs of preventing and avoiding crime such as enhanced lighting and burglar alarms. They also exclude crimes against businesses and most white-collar and corporate offenses.

Suggested Citation

  • Miller, Ted R. & Cohen, Mark A. & Swedler, David I. & Ali, Bina & Hendrie, Delia V., 2021. "Incidence and Costs of Personal and Property Crimes in the USA, 2017," Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(1), pages 24-54, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jbcoan:v:12:y:2021:i:1:p:24-54_2
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    Cited by:

    1. Brad R. Humphreys, 2023. "Professional Sports Subsidies and Urban Congestion Externalities: Assessing 50 Years of Failed Urban Economic Development Policies," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 49(4), pages 457-474, October.
    2. Erkmen G. Aslim & Murat C. Mungan & Carlos I. Navarro & Han Yu, 2022. "The Effect of Public Health Insurance on Criminal Recidivism," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(1), pages 45-91, January.
    3. Ryan Cooper & Joseph Doyle & Andres Hojman, 2023. "Legal aid in child welfare: Evidence from a randomized trial of Mi Abogado," POID Working Papers 077, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    4. Xinming Du, 2023. "Symptom or Culprit? Social Media, Air Pollution, and Violence," CESifo Working Paper Series 10296, CESifo.
    5. Borges Ferreira Neto, Amir & Nowicki, Jennifer & Shakya, Shishir, 2021. "Do Public Libraries Help Mitigate Crime? Evidence from Kansas City, MO," MPRA Paper 111073, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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