Delincuencia y actividad económica en México

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between acts of violence or criminal activity and economic activity in Mexico, using an econometric time series. With estimates of co-integration and common cycle equations, it assesses whether the series share a trend and if they respond similarly to transitory shocks. The results indicate that over the long term, economic activity co-integrates with three measures for insecurity: homicides, kidnappings, and robberies. The relationship among them is negative: hikes in criminal activity are associated with drops in the dynamism of the economy. For the short term, evidence exists of a common cycle between economic activity and robbery, but not for homicides and kidnappings.