Van Der Linden, BrunoGreen, RoryRoryGreen2025-05-142025-05-142025-05-142021https://hdl.handle.net/2078.2/25348This paper evaluates the effect that trade shocks have on labor market conditions and crime in the United States. By drawing the link between increasing minimum wages and labor market conditions, this paper offers an innovative consideration of the subsequent effect that raising minimum wages can have on the tendency of younger workers to commit crimes. I utilize China’s ascension into the World Trade Organization in 2001, and its admission to Permanent Normal Trade Relations status as a catalyst for decreasing labor market con- ditions and increasing crimes. By categorizing U.S. counties into commuter zones which better represent local economies, I find that trade exposure dis- proportionately affected commuter zones. Consequently, the regions with the the highest change in trade exposure corresponded with the commuter zones with the smallest labor market growth. The outcome was an increase in crimes, particularly in property crimes as means of economic stability.Trade ShockChina ShockLabor Market ConditionsProperty CrimeViolent CrimeMinimum Wagestext::thesis::master thesisthesis:30843