An Empirical Analysis of Factors Influencing Crime Rates in the United States
Category
Business, Education and Humanities
Department
Economics
Student Status
Undergraduate
Research Advisor
Dr. Michael Davidsson
Document Type
Event
Location
Meadowlark
Start Date
10-4-2025 10:20 AM
End Date
10-4-2025 10:20 AM
Description
Criminality has long been a significant component of society, shaping how people develop and improve legislation. It is a major concern for both public authorities and citizens, making the question of what drives individuals to engage in illegal activities a central issue. This study investigates the key factors influencing crime rates in the United States, with the objective of providing empirical evidence and actionable suggestions for reducing crime rates. This research builds upon existing literature by examining factors such as public police expenditure, real GDP, and poverty rate. Data was collected from sources like the Uniform Crime Report, U.S. Census, American Community Survey, and FRED for the period 1995-2020. An Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis was then conducted.
The findings indicate that increased government expenditure on policing has a significant negative impact on crime rates, suggesting that stronger law enforcement efforts contribute to crime reduction. Conversely, the unemployment rate shows a positive correlation with crime, reinforcing the idea that economic hardship drives criminal activity. These results provide valuable insights for policymakers, suggesting that a balanced approach-combining effective policing with economic initiatives-may yield the best outcomes for crime prevention.
An Empirical Analysis of Factors Influencing Crime Rates in the United States
Meadowlark
Criminality has long been a significant component of society, shaping how people develop and improve legislation. It is a major concern for both public authorities and citizens, making the question of what drives individuals to engage in illegal activities a central issue. This study investigates the key factors influencing crime rates in the United States, with the objective of providing empirical evidence and actionable suggestions for reducing crime rates. This research builds upon existing literature by examining factors such as public police expenditure, real GDP, and poverty rate. Data was collected from sources like the Uniform Crime Report, U.S. Census, American Community Survey, and FRED for the period 1995-2020. An Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis was then conducted.
The findings indicate that increased government expenditure on policing has a significant negative impact on crime rates, suggesting that stronger law enforcement efforts contribute to crime reduction. Conversely, the unemployment rate shows a positive correlation with crime, reinforcing the idea that economic hardship drives criminal activity. These results provide valuable insights for policymakers, suggesting that a balanced approach-combining effective policing with economic initiatives-may yield the best outcomes for crime prevention.
