Noise pollution and violent crime☆

Timo Hener

Journal of Public Economics, 2022, vol. 215, issue C

Abstract: This paper reveals how exposure to noise pollution increases violent crime. To identify the causal effect of noise pollution, I use daily variation in aircraft landing approaches to instrument noise levels. Increasing background noise by 4.1 decibels causes a 6.6% increase in the violent crime rate. The additional crimes mostly consist of physical assaults on men. The results imply a substantial societal burden from noise pollution beyond health impacts.

Keywords: Noise pollution; Violent crimes; Behavioral effects of environmental pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J10 K42 Q53 R11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:215:y:2022:i:c:s0047272722001505

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2022.104748

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