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Porter, Andy.
"Public institutions such as libraries, schools, and shelters create crime spillover effects by attracting victims, witnesses and incapacitating criminals. This paper is the first to estimate the causal impact of public institutions on local crime rates … Public institutions can reduce crime by attracting patrons that act as witnesses against car burglary, and by keeping potential aggravated assault victims or aggressors occupied in a safe environment" (p. 1).