The Impact of Crime on a State’s Economy

This paper will delve into the impact of crime and incarceration on the performance of a state’s economy, as measured by its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Crime and the punishment of criminals have more than the obvious impact on a state’s economy; the losses resulting from the crime are exacerbated by the loss of available prime workforce and the subsequent impact to their future earnings. I will use Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional GDP data and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics, along with U.S. Census and Bureau of Justice Statistics Data to quantify the impact of crime and incarceration on state economic performance. I will use multiple-regression data analysis to quantify the relationships between my dependent variable of State GDP and increases in crime and incarceration rates, especially for those between 18 and 54. I expect to find evidence that higher crime and incarceration rates have a negative impact on State GDP