Crime, Transitory Poverty, and Isolation: Evidence from Madagascar

Marcel Fafchamps () and Bart Minten ()

Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2006, vol. 54, issue 3, pages 579-603

Abstract: This article investigates the relationship between poverty and crime. Following a disputed presidential election, fuel supply to the highlands of Madagascar was severely curtailed in early 2002, resulting in a massive increase in poverty and transport costs. Using original survey data collected in June 2002 at the height of the crisis, we find that crop theft increases with transitory poverty. Theft thus appears to be used by some of the rural poor as a risk-coping strategy. Increased transport costs led to a rise in cattle and crop theft, confirming earlier findings that in Madagascar geographical isolation is associated with certain forms of crime. We also find that an increase in law enforcement personnel locally reduces cattle theft that in Madagascar is a form of organized crime.

Date: 2006
View citations in EconPapers

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ucp:ecdecc:y:2006:v:54:i:3:p:579-603

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/EDCC/order1.html

Access Statistics for this article

Economic Development and Cultural Change is edited by John Strauss

More articles in Economic Development and Cultural Change from University of Chicago Press
Address: The University of Chicago Press, Journals Division, P.O. Box 37005 Chicago, IL 60637
Series data maintained by Christopher F. Baum ().