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Using Terror Alert Levels to Estimate the Effect of Police on Crime

Jonathan Klick
University of Pennsylvania Law School; Erasmus School of Law

Alexander T. Tabarrok
George Mason University - Department of Economics

October 22, 2003

Abstract:
We argue that changes in the terror alert level set by the Department of Homeland Security provide a shock to police presence in the Mall area of Washington, D.C. Using daily crime data during the period the terror alert system has been in place, we show that crime drops significantly, both statistically and economically, in the Mall area relative to the other areas of Washington, D.C. This provides strong evidence of the causal effect of police on crime and suggests a research strategy that can be used in other cities.

Keywords: Crime, Terrorism, Law Enforcement, Police, Terror Alert

JEL Classifications: K0, K4, I0, H4

Working Paper Series

Date posted: November 10, 2003 ; Last revised: October 07, 2009

Suggested Citation

Klick, Jonathan and Tabarrok, Alexander T., Using Terror Alert Levels to Estimate the Effect of Police on Crime (October 22, 2003). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=461280 or doi:10.2139/ssrn.461280

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Contact Information

Jonathan Klick (Contact Author) University of Pennsylvania Law School ( email ) 3400 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-6204 United States 2157463455 (Phone)
Erasmus School of Law ( email ) 3000 DR Rotterdam Netherlands
Alexander T. Tabarrok George Mason University - Department of Economics ( email ) MSN 1D3 4400 University Drive Fairfax, VA 22030 United States 703-993-2314 (Phone)