Abstract: This study examines the variation in anti-drug law enforcement targeting Black offenders across counties in the U.S. South. I develop a model of cultural persistence, linking the historically punitive attitudes toward enslaved Black cotton pickers to intensified law enforcement practices following the War on Drugs. Using FBI UCR data, I employ a variety of empirical estimation techniques to identify the causal impact of historical cotton plantations on racial disparities in drug-related arrest rates. The results indicate that counties with more intensive cotton production in 1860 experienced higher arrest rates of Black drug offenders after the campaign, while the arrest rates for white drug offenders remained unaffected. To further validate these findings, I conduct a case study of Arkansas, demonstrating distinct law enforcement patterns between cotton and non-cotton counties in close proximity and show that the same patterns hold.

Abstract: This paper investigates the causal relationship between unemployment and crime in Alberta following the 2014 oil price shock. Alberta, a province heavily reliant on the oil and gas sector, experienced a dramatic economic downturn when oil prices dropped by 70 percent. This shock led to a surge in unemployment, doubling the rate from 4.6% to 8.2%. Using micro-level data from various sources, including the Canadian Population Census, Labour Force Survey, and Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, this study examines whether the rise in unemployment, particularly in areas dependent on oil production, resulted in a corresponding increase in crime. By employing a difference-in-differences methodology, this paper identifies the causal impact of unemployment on crime across geographic and demographic groups within Alberta.

Abstract: This paper investigates the persistent legacy of school segregation in counties across the U.S. South that were historically characterized by intensive cotton plantation labor. Using data on school segregation patterns and historical cotton production from the 1860 Census, I examine whether counties with higher levels of cotton cultivation exhibit more entrenched and long-lasting patterns of racial segregation in schools. The findings indicate that while school segregation has generally declined over time, the decline is less pronounced in former cotton counties, where segregation remains at higher levels compared to non-cotton counties.