Hansen, Kirstine and Machin, Stephen (2002) Spatial crime patterns and the introduction of the UK minimum wage. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 64 (Supple). pp. 677-697. ISSN 0305-9049 (print); 1468-0084 (electronic)
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Abstract
In this paper we consider the connection between crime and the labour market in a different way to existing work. We focus on a situation where the introduction of a minimum wage floor to a labour market previously unregulated by minimum wage legislation provided substantial pay increases for low paid workers. From a theoretical perspective we argue that this wage boost has the potential to alter peoples’ incentives to participate in crime. We formulate empirical tests, based upon area-level data in England and Wales, which look at what happened to crime rates before and after the introduction of the national minimum wage to the UK labour market in April 1999. Comparing police force area-level crime rates before and after the minimum wage introduction produces evidence in line with the notion that changing economic incentives for low wage workers can influence crime.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Social inclusion |
| Subjects: | Departments > Centre for Longitudinal Studies |
| Depositing User: | IOE Repository Editor (1) |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Apr 2010 14:43 |
| Last Modified: | 26 Jun 2012 22:31 |
| URI: | http://eprints.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/3425 |
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