Unhappiness and crime: Evidence from South Africa

Type Journal Article - Economica
Title Unhappiness and crime: Evidence from South Africa
Author(s)
Volume 72
Issue 287
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2005
Page numbers 531-547
URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0013-0427.2005.00429.x
Abstract
This paper is the first of its kind to study quality of life responses of crime victims. Using cross-sectional data from the OHS97 survey of South Africa, it is shown that victims report significantly lower well-being than the non-victims, ceteris paribus. Happiness is lower for non-victimized respondents currently living in higher crime areas. However, some evidence is found that criminal victimization hurts, but hurts less if regional crime rate on our reference group is high.

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