Crime and regional growth in Italy

Lanzafame, Matteo (2013): Crime and regional growth in Italy.

Abstract

Building on standard growth-theory models, this paper provides an empirical investigation of the effects of crime on regional economic performance in Italy, as measured by labour productivity growth. Our analysis relies on a panel of annual data on the Italian regions and, contrary to previous studies in the field, adopts a flexible and efficient panel estimation approach which controls for parameter heterogeneity, cross-section dependence and variable endogeneity via mean-group estimation, multifactor modelling and Granger-causality methods. Our results strongly support the hypothesis that crime has significant negative effects on regional growth in Italy.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Crime, regional growth, panel data, multifactor modeling.
• Subjects: C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C2 - Single Equation Models ; Single Variables > C23 - Panel Data Models ; Spatio-temporal Models; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O4 - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity > O40 - General; R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R1 - General Regional Economics > R10 - General

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