TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2019//
TI  - More sneezing, less crime? Health shocks and the market for offenses
JO  - Journal of health economics
A1  - Chalfin, Aaron
A1  - Danagoulian, Shooshan
A1  - Deza, Monica
SP  - e102230
EP  - e102230
VL  - 68
IS  - 
N2  - A large literature points out that exposure to criminal victimization has far-reaching effects on public health. What remains surprisingly unexplored is that role that health shocks play in explaining aggregate fluctuations in offending. This research finds novel evidence that crime is sensitive to health shocks. We consider the responsiveness of crime to a pervasive and common health shock which we argue shifts costs and benefits for offenders and victims: seasonal allergies. Leveraging daily variation in city-specific pollen counts, we present evidence that violent crime declines in U.S. cities on days in which the local pollen count is unusually high and that these effects are driven by residential violence. While past literature suggests that property crimes have more instrumental motives, require planning, and hence are particularly sensitive to permanent changes in the cost and benefits of crime, we find that violence may be especially sensitive to health shocks.<br><br>Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0167-6296
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2019.102230
ID  - ref1
ER  -