Nudging down residential burglaries: A randomized control trial

Abstract

Although the use of 'nudges' to influence decision-making and behaviour continues to be widely adopted by social policymakers, such as encouraging increases in organ donations, it is yet to get a similar foothold in the thinking and practice of reducing crime and policing. This paper seeks to assess the utility of the Nudge approach for achieving a reduction in residential burglary in Durham, England, by testing its efficacy using a Randomised Control Trial.