The Impact of the First Professional Police Forces on Crime

Arbeitspapier

This paper evaluates the effect on crime of creating a fundamental modern-day institution: centralized professional police forces tasked with preventing crime. We study the 1829 formation of the London Metropolitan Police - the first professional force worldwide. Using newly digitized and geocoded crime and police data together with difference-indifferences and pre-post designs, we find evidence of a significant reduction in violent crimes (despite the possibility of off-setting increases in clearance and reporting rates). In contrast, a reduction in property crime is not visible.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: ECONtribute Discussion Paper ; No. 053

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law ; Regional and Urban History: Europe: Pre-1913
• Subject: police ; crime ; deterrence ; economic history ; institutions

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Bindler, Anna ; Hjalmarsson, Randi
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Reinhard Selten Institute (RSI)
• (where): Bonn and Cologne
• (when): 2021

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/228856
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET