TY  - GEN
AU  - Brito, Steve
AU  - Corbacho, Ana
AU  - Osorio Rivas, Rene
TI  - Remittances and the Impact on Crime in Mexico
PY  - 2014
Y1  - 2014/05/28
DO  - 10.18235/0011632
AB  - This working paper studies the effect of remittances from the United States on crime rates in Mexico. The topic is examined using municipal-level data on the percent of household receiving remittances and homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. Remittances are found to be associated with a decrease in homicide rates. Every 1 percent increase in the number of households receiving remittances reduces the homicide rate by 0.05 percent. Other types of crimes are analyzed, revealing a reduction in street robbery of 0.19 percent for every 1 percent increase in households receiving remittances. This decrease is also observed using a state-level panel in another specification. The mechanisms of transmission could be related to an income effect or an incapacitation effect of remittances increasing education, opening job opportunities, and/or reducing the amount of time available to engage in criminal activities.
UR  - https://doi.org/10.18235/0011632
ER  -