The role of public security reforms on violent crime dynamics

Danilo Souza and Mateus Maciel

Economics Letters, 2024, vol. 241, issue C

Abstract: In the context of increasing violence, public security reforms are commonly advocated as a solution to the problem despite the lack of empirical evidence. We address this question by evaluating the effect of the Pacto pela Vida program, a comprehensive reform on the public security of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. We document a reduction of 16 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants following the program implementation. We show that a reduction in crimes occurring on the streets and associated with young males and firearm availability are likely to have contributed to the program’s effect.

Keywords: Crime; Reform; Policy evaluation; Brazil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H76 K42 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Working Paper: The Role of Public Security Reforms on Violent Crime Dynamics (2024)
Working Paper: The Role of Public Security Reforms on Violent Crime Dynamics (2024)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:241:y:2024:i:c:s0165176524003094

DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2024.111825

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