Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/296140 
Year of Publication: 
2024
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 11051
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
Despite intense policy debates, the relationship between social welfare and refugee crime remains understudied. Taking steps to address this gap, our study focuses on Switzerland, where mobility restrictions on exogenously assigned refugees coincide with cantons' autonomy in setting social assistance rates. Linking time-varying cantonal benefit rates between 2009 and 2016 to individual-level administrative data, we find that higher social assistance reduces criminal charges, especially for petty crimes and drug offenses. In light of limited (short-run) repercussions for refugees' labor market participation, our results suggest social assistance can be a cost-effective measure to improve refugee welfare and enhance public safety.
Subjects: 
immigration
crime
welfare benefits
refugees
migration policy
JEL: 
D02
H53
J18
K42
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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