We provide novel evidence that reduced access to abortion also leads to significant economic hardship, reflected in lower labor force participation, rising debt, widening income inequality, and heightened housing insecurity. This financial strain translates into higher rates of financially motivated crime, such as theft and burglary, with no significant effect on violent crime. These effects extend beyond directly affected individuals, reflecting intrahousehold spillovers. These findings suggest far-reaching consequences of restricted access to reproductive healthcare.
Source: NBER Working Paper
The findings in this study are consistent with work by Steven Levitt and John Donohue published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics (2001) https://www.jstor.org/stable/2696468.