Criminal Deterrence: A Review of the Literature

2017/03/01 by Aaron Chalfin, Justin McCrary · 25 citations
Social Sciences · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Business, Management and Accounting · #Crime Patterns and Interventions #Law, Economics, and Judicial Systems #Regulation and Compliance Studies

paper · pdf · doi:10.1257/jel.20141147

Abstract

We review economics research regarding the effect of police, punishments, and work on crime, with a particular focus on papers from the last twenty years. Evidence in favor of deterrence effects is mixed. While there is considerable evidence that crime is responsive to police and to the existence of attractive legitimate labor-market opportunities, there is far less evidence that crime responds to the severity of criminal sanctions. We discuss fruitful directions for future work and implications for public policy. (JEL J64, K42)

Citations

• PROBLEM‐ORIENTED POLICING IN VIOLENT CRIME PLACES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED EXPERIMENT*
• POLICING CRIME AND DISORDER HOT SPOTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL*
• HOT SPOTS OF PREDATORY CRIME: ROUTINE ACTIVITIES AND THE CRIMINOLOGY OF PLACE*
• INTEGRATING CELERITY, IMPULSIVITY, AND EXTRALEGAL SANCTION THREATS INTO A MODEL OF GENERAL DETERRENCE: THEORY AND EVIDENCE*

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