Photo of a row of houses
Urban Institute report examines fallout from nation’s housing instability

Weatherhead School’s Mark Votruba talks about how an economic downturn could affect crime rates

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US News & World Report:Mark Votruba, associate professor of economics and interim chair of the department in the Weatherhead School of Management, spoke about how an economic downturn could affect crime rates: “I think there are factors working in two different directions.  Yes, losing your job and losing that income will be a source of frustration and will create hardship on families,” he said, “but the opportunities to commit crimes are going down at the same time. The ultimate effect on crime will depend on how those two factors weigh against each other.”