Giving people a basic income might actually be the single most effective way to put burglars out of business for good.
Data from Italy shows that a minimum income scheme slashed theft by 20% by providing a legal alternative to crime. When the program was restricted, the crime rates immediately spiked back up, proving that financial stability is a direct substitute for illegal activity.
More income, less crime Evidence from Italy
SSRN · 6559278
I study whether minimum income affects property crime and consumption, exploiting the introduction and subsequent withdrawal of Reddito di Cittadinanza (RdC), the Italian minimum income scheme introduced in 2019. Using administrative data and spatial variation in the intensity of program participation across regions and provinces, I estimate the aggregate effect of RdC on crime and household expenditures. I find that RdC reduced thefts by about 20% (on an annual basis) between 2019 and 2022, whi