THE IMPACT OF THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL POLICE FORCES ON CRIME

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Bindler, Anna; Hjalmarsson, Randi
• 署名单位: University of Cologne; University of Gothenburg
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1542-4766
• DOI: 10.1093/jeea/jvab011
• 发表日期: 2021
• 页码: 3063-3103
• 关键词: state capacity; ECONOMIC-ANALYSIS; london police; PUNISHMENT; cops; england; JUSTICE; wales

摘要

This paper evaluates the effect on crime of creating a fundamental modern-day institution: centralized professional police forces tasked with preventing crime. We study the 1829 formation of the London Metropolitan Police-the first professional force worldwide. Using newly digitized and geocoded crime and police data together with difference-in-differences and pre-post designs, we find evidence of a significant reduction in violent crimes (despite the possibility of offsetting increases in clearance and reporting rates). In contrast, a reduction in property crime is not visible.