Do progressive prosecutors increase crime?: A quasi-experimental analysis of crime rates in the 100 largest counties, 2000–2020

Research summary In recent years, there has been a rise in so-called "progressive prosecutors" focused on criminal justice reforms. Although there has been considerable debate about the relationship between progressive prosecution policies and crime rates, there has been surprisingly littl...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Authors: Petersen, Nick (Author) ; Mitchell, Ojmarrh (Author) ; Yan, Shi (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2024
In: Criminology & public policy
Year: 2024, Volume: 23, Issue: 2, Pages: 459-490
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Volltext (kostenfrei)
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:

MARC

LEADER 00000naa a22000002 4500
001 1894691598
003 DE-627
005 20240709084418.0
007 cr uuu---uuuuu
008 240709s2024 xx |||||o 00| ||eng c
024 7 |a 10.1111/1745-9133.12666  |2 doi 
035 |a (DE-627)1894691598 
035 |a (DE-599)KXP1894691598 
040 |a DE-627  |b ger  |c DE-627  |e rda 
041 |a eng 
084 |a 2,1  |2 ssgn 
100 1 |a Petersen, Nick  |e VerfasserIn  |0 (DE-588)121051981X  |0 (DE-627)1698567111  |4 aut 
109 |a Petersen, Nick 
245 1 0 |a Do progressive prosecutors increase crime?  |b A quasi-experimental analysis of crime rates in the 100 largest counties, 2000–2020 
264 1 |c 2024 
336 |a Text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a Computermedien  |b c  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a Online-Ressource  |b cr  |2 rdacarrier 
520 |a Research summary In recent years, there has been a rise in so-called "progressive prosecutors" focused on criminal justice reforms. Although there has been considerable debate about the relationship between progressive prosecution policies and crime rates, there has been surprisingly little empirical research on the topic. Building on the limited extant research, we examined whether the inauguration of progressive prosecutors in the nation's 100 most populous counties impacted crime rates during a 21-year period (2000 to 2020). After developing an original database of progressive prosecutors in the 100 largest counties, we used heterogeneous difference-in-differences regressions to examine the influence of progressive prosecutors on crime rates. Results show that the inauguration of progressive prosecutors led to statistically higher index property (∼7%) and total crime rates (driven by rising property crimes), and these effects were strongest since 2013—a period with an increasing number of progressive prosecutors. However, violent crime rates generally were not higher after a progressive prosecutor assumed control. Policy implications Despite concerns that the election of progressive prosecutors leads to "surging" levels of violence, these findings suggest that progressive-oriented prosecutorial reforms led to relatively higher rates of property crime but had limited impact on rates of violent crime. In fact, in absolute terms, crime rates fell in jurisdictions with traditional and progressive prosecutors. Yet, relative property crime rates were greater after the inauguration of progressive prosecutors. Given that prior research shows progressive prosecutors reduce mass incarceration and racial inequalities, our findings indicate that higher property crime rates may be the price for these advancements. 
650 4 |a Courts 
650 4 |a Crime 
650 4 |a Criminal justice reform 
650 4 |a progressive prosecutors 
650 4 |a reformist prosecutors 
700 1 |a Mitchell, Ojmarrh  |e VerfasserIn  |0 (DE-588)1212068491  |0 (DE-627)1700668439  |0 (DE-576)187954798  |4 aut 
700 1 |a Yan, Shi  |e VerfasserIn  |0 (DE-588)1185803424  |0 (DE-627)1665118377  |4 aut 
773 0 8 |i Enthalten in  |t Criminology & public policy  |d Oxford [u.a.] : Wiley-Blackwell, 2001  |g 23(2024), 2, Seite 459-490  |h Online-Ressource  |w (DE-627)357169069  |w (DE-600)2094251-5  |w (DE-576)262493047  |x 1745-9133  |7 nnns 
773 1 8 |g volume:23  |g year:2024  |g number:2  |g pages:459-490 
856 4 0 |u https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12666  |x Resolving-System  |z kostenfrei  |3 Volltext 
856 4 0 |u https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1745-9133.12666  |x Verlag  |z kostenfrei  |3 Volltext 
951 |a AR 
ELC |a 1 
LOK |0 000 xxxxxcx a22 zn 4500 
LOK |0 001 4548238948 
LOK |0 003 DE-627 
LOK |0 004 1894691598 
LOK |0 005 20240709084126 
LOK |0 008 240709||||||||||||||||ger||||||| 
LOK |0 040   |a DE-21-110  |c DE-627  |d DE-21-110 
LOK |0 092   |o n 
LOK |0 852   |a DE-21-110 
LOK |0 852 1  |9 00 
LOK |0 935   |a krzo 
OAS |a 1 
ORI |a WA-MARC-krimdoka001.raw