The Effect of Media Exposure of Suspects on Solving Crime

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Webbink, Dinand; van Erp, Judith; van Gastel, Froukje
• 署名单位: Utrecht University
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1111/ecoj.12287
• 发表日期: 2017
• 页码: 547-570
• 关键词: Television; IMPACT; GENDER

摘要

In this study we investigate the effect of showing suspects of crime in a TV programme on the probability of apprehension. We exploit exogenous variation in the number of viewers of the crime programme induced by Champions League games broadcast on competing channels. The estimates show that an increase in the number of viewers of the TV programme increases the probability of solving crime, especially for criminal cases with many potential observers or cases for which it is easier to recognise suspects due to the quality of the images. The implication of our findings is that media can be effectively used for detection of crime suspects.