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A tale of three cities: Crime and displacement after Hurricane Katrina

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  • Varano, Sean P.
  • Schafer, Joseph A.
  • Cancino, Jeffrey M.
  • Decker, Scott H.
  • Greene, Jack R.

Abstract

When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August 2005, it greatly disrupted both the physical and social structures of that community. One consequence of the hurricane was the displacement of large numbers of New Orleans residents to other cities, including Houston, San Antonio, and Phoenix. There has been media speculation that such a grand-scale population displacement led to increased crime in communities that were recipient of large numbers of displaced New Orleans residents. This study was a case study of three cities with somewhat different experiences with Katrina's diaspora. Time series analysis was used to examine the pre- and post-Katrina trends in six Part I offenses (murder, robbery, aggravated assault, rape, burglary, and auto theft) to assess any impact of such large-scale population shifts on crime in host communities. Contrary to much popular speculation, only modest effects were found on crime. Social disorganization theory was used to frame both the analysis and the interpretation of these results.

Suggested Citation

  • Varano, Sean P. & Schafer, Joseph A. & Cancino, Jeffrey M. & Decker, Scott H. & Greene, Jack R., 2010. "A tale of three cities: Crime and displacement after Hurricane Katrina," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 42-50, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcjust:v:38:y::i:1:p:42-50
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert Bolin, 1985. "Disasters And Long‐Term Recovery Policy: A Focus On Housing And Families," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 4(4), pages 709-715, May.
    2. Decker, Scott H. & Varano, Sean P. & Greene, Jack R., 2007. "Routine crime in exceptional times: The impact of the 2002 Winter Olympics on citizen demand for police services," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 89-101.
    3. Jeff Rojek & Michael R. Smith, 2007. "Law Enforcement Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 24(6), pages 589-608, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. García Hombrados, Jorge, 2020. "The lasting effects of natural disasters on property crime: Evidence from the 2010 Chilean earthquake," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 114-154.
    2. Depetris-Chauvin, Emilio & Santos, Rafael J., 2018. "Unexpected guests: The impact of internal displacement inflows on rental prices in Colombian host cities," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 289-309.
    3. Altindag, Duha T., 2012. "Crime and unemployment: Evidence from Europe," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 145-157.
    4. Inkyu Kang, 2023. "How does technology‐based monitoring affect street‐level bureaucrats' behavior? An analysis of body‐worn cameras and police actions," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(4), pages 971-991, September.
    5. Seungil Yum, 2021. "The effects of Hurricane Dorian on spatial reactions and mobility," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 105(3), pages 2481-2497, February.
    6. Nekeisha Spencer & Eric Strobl, 2019. "Crime Watch: Hurricanes and Illegal Activities," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 86(1), pages 318-338, July.
    7. Hodgkinson, Tarah & Andresen, Martin A., 2020. "Show me a man or a woman alone and I'll show you a saint: Changes in the frequency of criminal incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    8. Carr, Jillian B. & Koppa, Vijetha, 2020. "Housing Vouchers, Income Shocks and Crime: Evidence from a Lottery," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 475-493.

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