Sunday liquor laws and crime

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Heaton, Paul
• 署名单位: RAND Corporation
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2011.08.002
• 发表日期: 2012
• 页码: 42-52
• 关键词: Alcohol; crime

摘要

Many jurisdictions have considered relaxing Sunday alcohol sale restrictions, yet such restrictions' effects on public health remain poorly understood. This paper analyzes the effects of legalization of Sunday packaged liquor sales on crime, focusing on the phased introduction of such sales in Virginia beginning in 2004. Differences-in-differences and triple-difference estimates indicate the liberalization increased minor crime by 5% and alcohol-involved serious crime by 10%. The law change did not affect domestic crime or induce significant geographic or inter-temporal crime displacement. The costs of this additional crime are comparable to the state's revenues from increased liquor sales. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.