Abstract This paper studies the effects of legal street prostitution zones on registered and perceived crime. We exploit a unique setting in the Netherlands where these tippelzones were opened in nine cities under different regulation systems. Our difference-in-difference analysis of 25 Dutch cities between 1994-2011 shows that opening a tippelzone decreases registered sexual abuse and rape by about 30-40 percent in the first two years. For cities which enforced licensing in tippelzones, we also find reductions in drug-related crime and long-term effects on sexual assaults. Effects on perceived drug nuisance depend on the regulation system and the proximity of respondents to the tippelzone.

Citation Bisschop, Paul, Stephen Kastoryano, and Bas van der Klaauw. 2017. "Street Prostitution Zones and Crime." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy , 9 (4): 28-63 . DOI: 10.1257/pol.20150299 Choose Format: BibTeX EndNote Refer/BibIX RIS Tab-Delimited