Cities and Violence: An Empirical Analysis of the Case of Costa Rica

Abstract

This article focuses on the effect of urbanization on violent crime – particularly homicide in Costa Rica. Although violence is a major problem throughout Latin America, few empirical studies carried out in the area use high-quality socioeconomic and crime databases with a high level of geographical disaggregation. In this article, we employ data from all 473 districts of Costa Rica between 2010 and 2013. We develop a model which takes into account endogeneity problems and uses contrasts of marginal linear predictions. We conclude that the degree of urban concentration plays a key role in explaining homicide rates, other things being equal. This effect is progressive: the greater the urban concentration, the greater the increase in homicide rates. This causal relationship is not observed in offenses other than homicide.

Are homicide and drug trafficking linked to peer physical victimization in Costa Rican schools?

“…Crime rates may be correlated with latent factors and, if we do not correct for them, the coefficients of the variables homicide rate and cocaine confiscations could be reflecting the effects of these factors and, thereby, be biased. For example, poverty, inequality, and lack of education are elements strongly associated with crime (Gimenez, Svitková, Tkacheva, & Barrado, in press). To avoid biased estimations, the model included the SDI, a variable explained in the previous section, that accounted for a wide set of socioeconomic factors in the districts, generally believed to be correlated with severe crimes.…”

“…Different bodies of law have a more homogeneous definition of homicide than of other criminal offenses; thus, the data were more easily comparable. In addition, its measurement was more accurate, because other offenses, especially misdemeanors, are often not reported to the police for various reasons, such as the costs and hassles inherent in the presentation of complaints and a lack of trust in the local police force and/or the judicial system (Gimenez, Svitková, Tkacheva, & Barrado, in press).…”