Air Pollution Causes Violent Crime

Anthony Heyes and Soodeh Saberian

No 1514E, Working Papers from University of Ottawa, Department of Economics

Abstract: Scientific evidence is that ozone exposure induces aggression, irritability, impulsivity and loss-of-control in humans, mice, monkeys and other animals. Consistent with this we use data from Los Angeles to generate the first evidence causally linking day-to-day variations in air quality to violent crime. The effect is substantial. Using IV methods with wind direction as instrument our preferred specification points to a 17% increase in assaults for a 10 ppb increase in daily fine particulate pollution. We also identify very small positive impacts of carbon monoxide (CO). The results satisfy a wide set of robustness checks. Cost-benefit analyses that fail to account for these effects will substantially under-estimate the case for air quality regulation.

Keywords: Valuation of air quality; Non-health impacts of pollution; crime (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 40 pages
Date: 2015
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene and nep-env
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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