ICES Seminar in Experimental Economics and Game Theory
Does Wealth Inhibit Criminal Behavior? Evidence from Lottery Winners in Sweden and the United States
Friday, September 26, 2025 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EDT
Vernon Smith Hall (formerly Metropolitan Building), 5075 (ICES Classroom)
The ICES Seminar in Experimental Economics and Game Theory of the Fall 2025 semester will feature:
New York University
Does Wealth Inhibit Criminal Behavior? Evidence from Lottery Winners in Sweden and the United States
Abstract
We estimate the effect of financial resources on criminal behavior using data from lotteries in Sweden and the United States matched to criminal convictions (Sweden) and incarceration (United States). While institutional environments vary between the two countries, we fail to detect statistically significant effects on criminal behavior in either sample, including for at-risk populations. Moreover, our estimates allow us to rule out effects much smaller than the cross-sectional gradients between income and crime. We also estimate null effects of parental lottery wealth on child delinquency. The results challenge theories that emphasize the lack of economic resources as a key determinant of criminal behavior.
For more information about the Seminar Series, please visit the Seminar Schedule homepage.
