Abortion, Economic Hardship, and Crime

• In Event: Changes in Abortion Access in the 20th and 21st Centuries

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of abortion access on economic hardship and crime. Using a novel database of geocoded abortion provider locations in Texas from 2009 to 2019, we exploit within-state and temporal variation in travel distance to the nearest abortion facility to measure abortion access. Our findings indicate that increased travel distance to abortion facilities leads to fewer intentional pregnancy terminations and more live births. This limited access contributes to significant economic hardship, reflected in lower labor force participation, increased debt and poverty, and heightened housing security. Our findings also reveal that this financial strain translates into higher rates of financially motivated crimes, such as theft and burglary, while showing no significant impact on violent crime. Notably, these effects extend beyond directly affected individuals, suggesting intra-household spillover effects that contribute to broader community-level changes in criminal behavior. Our results highlight the far-reaching consequences of restricted access to reproductive healthcare, demonstrating that such limitations exacerbate financial distress and significantly influence crime patterns.  

Author

• Erkmen Aslim, University of Vermont
  Presenting Author