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The internet effects on sex crime offenses - Evidence from the German broadband internet expansion

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  • Diegmann, André

Abstract

This paper studies the effects of the introduction of a new mass medium on sex crime in Germany. I use unique data on criminal offenses and broadband internet measured at the municipal level to shed light on this issue. In order to address endogeneity in broadband internet availability, I exploit technical peculiarities at the regional level that determine the roll-out of high-speed internet. Results provide evidence of a substitution effect of internet exposure on sex crime. The substitution effect is neither driven by differences in reporting behavior, nor by matching processes at the victim and offender side. This suggests that the consumption of extreme media plays an important role in explaining the documented high-speed internet effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Diegmann, André, 2019. "The internet effects on sex crime offenses - Evidence from the German broadband internet expansion," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 82-99.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:165:y:2019:i:c:p:82-99
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2019.07.001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Klaus Ackermann & Sefa Awaworyi Churchill & Russell Smyth, 2023. "Broadband Internet and Cognitive Functioning," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 99(327), pages 536-563, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sex crime; Broadband internet; Media;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General
    • C26 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation

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