municipalities where resident pardoned individuals had a higher incentive to recidivate experienced a higher recidivism rate …. Moreover, in these municipalities: i) newspapers were more likely to report crime news involving pardoned individuals; ii …) voters held worse beliefs on the incumbent national government's ability to control crime and iii) with respect to the …

We provide evidence about voters' response to crime control policies. We exploit a natural experiment arising from the … individuals have a higher incentive to recidivate experienced higher recidivism. Moreover, in these municipalities: i) newspapers … were more likely to report crime news involving pardoned individuals; ii) voters held worse beliefs on the incumbent …