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Homelessness and Crime: An Examination of California

Author

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  • Artz, Benjamin

    (University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh)

  • Welsch, David M.

    (University of Wisconsin. Whitewater)

Abstract

We employ a unique 10-year panel dataset from California to examine both the effect crime has on homelessness as well as the effect homelessness has on crime. Our main estimator accounts for endogeneity by incorporating dynamics, controlling for time invariant unobserved heterogeneity, and relaxing the strict exogeneity assumption for our key variables of interest. We find strong evidence that regions experiencing increases in property crime, but not violent crime, should expect a practically significant increase in homelessness, whereas increases in homelessness increases the number of violent crimes, but not property crimes. Robustness and falsification checks confirm the results.

Suggested Citation

  • Artz, Benjamin & Welsch, David M., 2024. "Homelessness and Crime: An Examination of California," IZA Discussion Papers 17086, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17086
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    homeless; crime; instrumental variables;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K14 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Criminal Law
    • R20 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - General
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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