BRAC and crime: examining the effects of an installation's closure on local crime

Abstract

The decision to close a military base can generate both positive and negative effects on the local community. While research exists on the positive effects of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), such as the increase in federal funding or land reclamation, my thesis examines the effects a closure has on a community's crime rate. Using a difference-in-differences estimation strategy, I examine the differences in crime rates before and after a city had a BRAC relative to comparable control cities without such closures. First, I find significant declines in crime rates due to BRAC, for both property and violent crimes. Crime rates fall faster in BRAC cities compared to cities that do not experience a BRAC. Second, property crimes appear to fall faster than violent crimes due to a BRAC. Third, demographic and economic variables also have significant effects on particular types of property and violent crime.