In poll after poll, crime is the number one public worry in the United States. Crime also exacts tremendous costs not factored into official measures of well-being, and it is a favorite subject of campaign promises by politicians. In addition, crime responds to economic conditions and incentives, something economists have known at least since Gary Becker's (1968) pathbreaking work on the economics of crime (see Becker on parking, math and crime, The Idea Shop). Despite the substantial work in the area, particularly in the 1070s and early 1980s, the public seems largely unaware of the economics view of crime and its implications. Click here to get informed. /* Excellent introduction to the subject. The regression analysis part is presented in a light manner (+), my only negative critique is that they report negative standard errors for some of the estimated coefficients (computational inaccuracy) */