Reducing Bias in Citizens’ Perception of Crime Rates: Evidence From a Field Experiment on Burglary Prevalence

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Reducing Bias in Citizens’ Perception of Crime Rates : Evidence From a Field Experiment on Burglary Prevalence. / Larsen, Martin Vinæs; Olsen, Asmus Leth.

In: Journal of Politics, Vol. 82, No. 2, 2020, p. 753-756.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Larsen, MV & Olsen, AL 2020, 'Reducing Bias in Citizens’ Perception of Crime Rates: Evidence From a Field Experiment on Burglary Prevalence', Journal of Politics, vol. 82, no. 2, pp. 753-756. https://doi.org/10.1086/706595

APA

Larsen, M. V., & Olsen, A. L. (2020). Reducing Bias in Citizens’ Perception of Crime Rates: Evidence From a Field Experiment on Burglary Prevalence. Journal of Politics, 82(2), 753-756. https://doi.org/10.1086/706595

Vancouver

Larsen MV, Olsen AL. Reducing Bias in Citizens’ Perception of Crime Rates: Evidence From a Field Experiment on Burglary Prevalence. Journal of Politics. 2020;82(2):753-756. https://doi.org/10.1086/706595

Author

Larsen, Martin Vinæs ; Olsen, Asmus Leth. / Reducing Bias in Citizens’ Perception of Crime Rates : Evidence From a Field Experiment on Burglary Prevalence. In: Journal of Politics. 2020 ; Vol. 82, No. 2. pp. 753-756.

Bibtex

@article{6f3f45f1337e46bc8ffdb39f786255ed,
title = "Reducing Bias in Citizens{\textquoteright} Perception of Crime Rates: Evidence From a Field Experiment on Burglary Prevalence",
abstract = "Citizens are, on average, too pessimistic when assessing the trajectory of current crime trends. In this study, we examine whether we can correct this perceptual bias with respect to burglaries. Using a field experiment coupled with a large panel survey (n=4,895), we explore whether a public information campaign can reduce misperceptions about the prevalence of burglaries. Embedding the correct information about burglary rates in a direct mail campaign, we find that it is possible to substantially reduce citizens{\textquoteright} misperceptions. Importantly, the effects are not short lived: they are detectable several weeks after the mailer was sent, but they are temporary and eventually the perceptual bias re-emerges. Our results suggest that if citizens were continually supplied with correct information about crime rates they would be less pessimistic. Reducing bias in citizens{\textquoteright} perception of crime rates might therefore be a matter of adjusting the supply of (dis)information about crime.",
author = "Larsen, {Martin Vin{\ae}s} and Olsen, {Asmus Leth}",
year = "2020",
doi = "10.1086/706595",
language = "English",
volume = "82",
pages = "753--756",
journal = "Journal of Politics",
issn = "0022-3816",
publisher = "University of Chicago Press",
number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reducing Bias in Citizens’ Perception of Crime Rates

T2 - Evidence From a Field Experiment on Burglary Prevalence

AU - Larsen, Martin Vinæs

AU - Olsen, Asmus Leth

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Citizens are, on average, too pessimistic when assessing the trajectory of current crime trends. In this study, we examine whether we can correct this perceptual bias with respect to burglaries. Using a field experiment coupled with a large panel survey (n=4,895), we explore whether a public information campaign can reduce misperceptions about the prevalence of burglaries. Embedding the correct information about burglary rates in a direct mail campaign, we find that it is possible to substantially reduce citizens’ misperceptions. Importantly, the effects are not short lived: they are detectable several weeks after the mailer was sent, but they are temporary and eventually the perceptual bias re-emerges. Our results suggest that if citizens were continually supplied with correct information about crime rates they would be less pessimistic. Reducing bias in citizens’ perception of crime rates might therefore be a matter of adjusting the supply of (dis)information about crime.

AB - Citizens are, on average, too pessimistic when assessing the trajectory of current crime trends. In this study, we examine whether we can correct this perceptual bias with respect to burglaries. Using a field experiment coupled with a large panel survey (n=4,895), we explore whether a public information campaign can reduce misperceptions about the prevalence of burglaries. Embedding the correct information about burglary rates in a direct mail campaign, we find that it is possible to substantially reduce citizens’ misperceptions. Importantly, the effects are not short lived: they are detectable several weeks after the mailer was sent, but they are temporary and eventually the perceptual bias re-emerges. Our results suggest that if citizens were continually supplied with correct information about crime rates they would be less pessimistic. Reducing bias in citizens’ perception of crime rates might therefore be a matter of adjusting the supply of (dis)information about crime.

U2 - 10.1086/706595

DO - 10.1086/706595

M3 - Journal article

VL - 82

SP - 753

EP - 756

JO - Journal of Politics

JF - Journal of Politics

SN - 0022-3816

IS - 2

ER -

ID: 219129158