Spreading the Wealth: The Effect of the Distribution of Income and Race/Ethnicity Across Households and Neighborhoods on City Crime Trajectories

Sponsored by the National Institute of Justice, this study examined the effect of the distribution of income and race/ethnicity across households and neighborhoods on the change in crime rates over a 30-year period in 352 cities. Cities with higher levels of inequality have a higher prevalence of crime, including aggravated assaults, robberies, burglaries, and motor vehicle thefts. However, as the study shows, in cities with lower inequality, heterogeneity in the local neighborhood by income level leads to higher levels of crime.