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Title: Internet Diffusion: Killing Time Prevents Crime?

Citation Type: Miscellaneous

Publication Year: 2016

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Abstract: How does Internet diffusion affect crime rates? I use a panel of state-level yearly data on broadband penetration and criminal activity in the US to shed light on the question. I adopt an instrumental variable approach relying on the fact that the most widespread broadband technologies in the US employ the pre-existing telephone and Cable TV networks to transmit data. The deployment of such networks in early times provides a relevant source of exogenous variation in recent broadband diffusion. Results show that Internet diffusion is associated with a significant and substantial decrease in total and property crime rates, suggesting that a substitution mechanism is at play: online activities crowd out offline activities that more likely lead to crime. A number of tests suggest that my estimates may be interpreted in a causal fashion.

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Authors: Masiero, Ilaria

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Data Collections: IPUMS CPS

Topics: Crime and Deviance

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