Sweeping up Gangs: The Effects of Tough-on-Crime Policies from a Network Approach

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. 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 percent and 31 percent, respectively. Evidence suggests the first stems from incapacitation and the second from less criminal environment. A counterfactual exercise suggests that broader targeting of key players could have reduced crime by 43 percentage points more. This implies network analysis could enhance policy formulation. (JEL C31, H56, K14, K42, Z18)