Racial beliefs, location, and the causes of crime

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Verdier, T; Zenou, Y
• 署名单位: University of Southampton
• 刊物名称: INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0020-6598
• DOI: 10.1111/j.0020-6598.2004.00285.x
• 发表日期: 2004
• 页码: 731-760
• 关键词: AFFIRMATIVE-ACTION; MARKET

摘要

This article provides a unified explanation for why blacks commit more crime, are located in poorer neighborhoods, and receive lower wages than whites. If everybody believes that blacks are more criminal than whites-even if there is no basis for this-then blacks are offered lower wages and, as a result, locate further away from jobs. Distant residence increases even more the black-white wage gap because of more tiredness and higher commuting costs. Blacks have thus a lower opportunity cost of committing crime and become indeed more criminal than whites. Therefore, beliefs are self-fulfilling.