Institutional Quality, Economic Misery and Crime Rate in Nigeria

This study examines the effect of institutional quality and misery index on crime rate in Nigeria. Data sourced for the period of 1986–2016 from the Nigerian Police Force, National Bureau of Statistics, International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) and World Bank Development Indicators are employed. The study applies the ARDL approach to co-integration in estimating the model built for the study. The results show that there is a long-run relationship among the variables. It further reveals that institutional quality reduces crime rate significantly in the short run while economic misery increases the level of crime in Nigeria. These results imply that gradual improvements in institutional arrangements within democratic administrations would further provide a more effective and efficient peaceful means for settling disputes and re-alignments of socio-economic inequalities, which seem to be the main causes of criminal activities in Nigeria.