There will be blood: Crime rates in shale-rich U.S. counties

Alexander James and Brock Smith

No 2014-04, Working Papers from University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Economics

Abstract: Over the past decade, the production of shale oil and gas significantly increased in the United States. This paper uniquely examines how this energy boom has affected regional crime rates throughout the United States. There is evidence that, as a result of the ongoing shale-energy boom, shale-rich counties experienced faster growth in rates of both property and violent crimes including rape, assault, murder, robbery, burglary, larceny and grand-theft auto. These results are particularly robust for rates of assault, and less so for other types of crimes. Examining the migratory behavior of convicted sex offenders indicates that boomtowns disproportionately attract convicted felons. Policy makers should anticipate these effects and invest in public infrastructure accordingly.

Keywords: Natural Resources; Hydraulic Fracturing; Crime; Resource Curse (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: K42 Q3 R11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene and nep-law
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Journal Article: There will be blood: Crime rates in shale-rich U.S. counties (2017)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ala:wpaper:2014-04

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