Citation

Bell B, Jaitman L, Machin S. Econ. J. 2014; 124(576): 480-506.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Royal Economic Society, Publisher Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1111/ecoj.12137

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Significant riots occurred in London in August 2011. The riots took place in highly localised geographical areas, with crime going up hugely in the affected sub-wards. The criminal justice response was to make sentencing for rioters much more severe. We show a significant drop in riot crimes across London in the six months after the riots, consistent with a deterrence effect from the tougher sentencing. More evidence of general deterrence comes from the observation that crime also fell in the post-riot aftermath in areas where rioting did not take place.

Language: en