Designing Policy in Weak States: Unintended Consequences of Alcohol Prohibition in Bihar
By Aaditya Dar, Abhilasha Sahay
Target Journal: The Journal of Law and Economics (JLandE)
Citation
Dar, Aaditya., Sahay, Abhilasha. (2022). Designing Policy in Weak States: Unintended Consequences of Alcohol Prohibition in Bihar Target Journal: The Journal of Law and Economics (JLandE) .
Copyright
Target Journal: The Journal of Law and Economics (JLandE), 2022
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Abstract
We study the impact of an alcohol-prohibition policy on crime in the Indian state of Bihar, where nearly 1.5 percent of the world's population lives. Using a difference-in-difference empirical strategy, we show that banning the sale and consumption of alcohol led to an increase rapes. The rise in crimes against women is highest in districts where there is pre-existing evidence of high emotional violence, hinting at a 'male backlash' effect.