Effect of Public Transit on Crime: Evidence from SEPTA strikes in Philadelphia

• In Event: Poster Session II

Abstract

Public transit stations are often viewed as crime hotspots. Although quite a few studies have been conducted to directly test the effect of public transit on crime, they provide little evidence for the mechanism. In fact, the effects they observe could result from changes in victims, perpetrators or even police behaviors.
In this study, I plan to use the strikes of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), a regional public transportation authority in Philadelphia to explore the effects of public transit on crime. Specifically, my research addresses the following questions:
(1) Does crime in the area around a transit station increase or decrease with the temporary closure of the station?
(2) Is this increase or decrease due to the changes in victims or perpetrators?
(3) What attributes of neighborhoods affect the relationship between public transit and crime?

Author

• Yuhao Wu, University of Pennsyvalnia