How does the welfare state reduce crime? The effect of program characteristics and decommodification across 18 OECD-countries

Maximilian Rudolph and Peter Starke

Journal of Criminal Justice, 2020, vol. 68, issue C

Abstract: The article revisits the negative effect of welfare state schemes on crime rates with a focus on the pathways of that effect. Social support theory (SST) and institutional anomie theory (IAT) are two related theoretical approaches to explain why – and how – the welfare state might prevent criminal behavior. This article tests the relevance of these theories for cross-country and over-time variation in homicide rates with more precise disaggregated welfare state indicators than used previously.

Keywords: Welfare; Crime; Homicide; Social support theory; Institutional anomie theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jcjust:v:68:y:2020:i:c:s0047235220300623

DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2020.101684

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