The Influence of Spatial Density of Nonprofits on Crime

Abstract

Nonprofits have been posited to have benefits for communities and neighborhoods, including reduction of crime. Empirical research has provided mixed results. Drawing on both criminological and theories of public organization and organizational ecology, this article examines the effects of nonprofit density on neighborhood crime in Denver, Colorado, between 2010 and 2015. Controlling for demographic and environmental influences, as well as the effects of spatiotemporal autoregression, results suggest that a higher density of both place-based and generic nonprofits ameliorate rates of crime. In contrast, nonprofits focused on crime reduction have a significant positive curvilinear effect on several types of crime. Findings also suggest that while nonprofits at the micro-ecological level increase crime to a point, the impact is negligible compared with other factors. Moreover, a relatively high density of place-based or generic nonprofits may have some benefits at higher densities, indicating a synergistic effect.