Crime Shrinks City Agglomeration Benefits

Crime — especially violent crime — can materially reduce the economic returns cities normally get from having firms and workers co‑located, because it drives avoidance, lowers foot traffic, and interrupts the dense market interactions that create productivity gains. The author argues this is identifiable using historical shocks and migration episodes (e.g., the Great Migration) that altered city demography and crime incidence. — If true, the claim reframes urban policy: reducing violent crime becomes not just a public‑safety goal but an economic growth lever, affecting housing, transit, and redevelopment priorities.