The Effects of DNA Databases on Crime

Jennifer Doleac

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2017, vol. 9, issue 1, 165-201

Abstract: Every US state has a database of criminal offenders' DNA profiles. These databases receive widespread attention in the media and popular culture, but there has been no rigorous analysis of their impact on crime. This paper intends to fill that gap. I exploit the details and timing of state DNA database expansions in two ways, first to address the effects of DNA profiling on individuals' subsequent criminal behavior and then to address the aggregate effects on crime rates. I show that DNA databases deter crime by profiled offenders, reduce crime rates, and are more cost-effective than traditional law enforcement tools.

JEL-codes: H76 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.20150043
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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Working Paper: The Effects of DNA Databases on Crime (2012)
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