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Globally, gang proliferation is fought primarily through sweeps. This paper
uses a difference-in-differences strategy to examine their causal impact
on crime for arrested individuals and their peers. The analysis focuses
on the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, which underwent a notable policy
shift. Findings reveal significant crime reductions among those arrested
and their peers, of 85% and 31%, respectively. Evidence suggests the first
stems from incapacitation and the second from a less criminal environment.
A counterfactual exercise suggests that broader targeting of key
players could have reduced crime by 43ppt more. Together, this implies
network analysis could enhance policy formulation.
