Public Works Programs and Crime : Evidence for El Salvador

Acosta, Pablo ; Monsalve Montiel, Emma

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: CRIME;    PUBLIC WORKS;    JOB CREATION;    LABOR POLICY;    LABOR MARKET;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-8384
RP-ID  :  WPS8384

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Most evaluations of public worksprograms in developing countries study their effects onpoverty reduction and other labor market outcomes (jobcreation, earnings, and participation). However, very fewlook at other collateral effects, such as the incidence ofviolence. Between 2009 and 2014, El Salvador implemented theTemporary Income Support Program, which aimed to guarantee atemporary minimum level of income to extremely poor urbanfamilies for six months, as well as provide beneficiarieswith experience in social and productive activities at themunicipal level. Making use of a panel data set at themunicipal level for 2007 to 2014, with monthly data ondifferent types of crime rates and social program benefitsby municipalities, this paper assesses the effects of theprogram on crime rates in municipalities in El Salvador.There are several possible channels through which theTemporary Income Support Program can affect crime. Since theprogram is associated with cash transfers to beneficiaries,a reduction in economically motivated crimes is expected(income effect). But since the program enforces workrequirements and community participation, this couldgenerate a negative impact on crime, because thebeneficiaries will have less time to commit crime andbecause of community deterrence effects. Overall, the paperfinds a robust and significant negative impact of theTemporary Income Support Program on most types of crimes inthe municipalities with the intervention. Moreover, thenegative effects of the program on some types of crime rateshold several years after participation. Positive spillovereffects for municipalities hold within a radius of 50 kilometers.