Economic and Social Effects of Crime

Though crime has always posed economic and social effects on U.S. society throughout history, the actual costs of crime did not become a major political issue until the late 1920s. Because of the rise of organized crime during the 1920s, chiefly from selling illegal liquor during Prohibition (1919–33), newly elected President Herbert Hoover (1874–1964; served 1929–33) created the Wickersham Commission in 1929 to assess crime and punishment in the nation. The commission released fourteen volumes of its findings in 1931, reporting on the major influence of crime on American society.

Further studies focused on victim expenses, costs for security, and the cost of the criminal justice system. Crime and its costs and effects soon became a dominant issue in American politics, often influencing voters after World War II (1939–45).