ECONOMICS OF CRIME - PUNISHMENT OR INCOME REDISTRIBUTION

• NCJ Number: 31697
• Journal: REVIEW OF SOCIAL ECONOMY Volume: 33 Issue: 2 Dated: (OCTOBER 1975) Pages: 113-130
• Author(s): S DANZIGER; D WHEELER
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: Assoc for Social Economics
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINT

Annotation

THIS PAPER FOCUSES ON THE PROCESS BY WHICH RELATIVE WELFARE COMPARISONS BETWEEN GROUPS MAY PRODUCE CONFLICT IN THE FORM OF CRIME, AND HYPOTHESIZES THAT INCREASES IN INCOME INEQUALITY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY CRIME INCREASES.

Abstract

THE FIRST SECTION OF THIS PAPER SYNTHESIZES SOME RECENT WORK ON THE ECONOMICS OF CRIME AND ON PARETO OPTIMAL REDISTRIBUTION AND PROVIDES A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK WHICH IMPLIES THAT THE DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME HAS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN EXPLAINING THE LEVEL OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. THE AUTHORS THEN PRESENT AN ECONOMETRIC MODEL DESIGNED TO TEST THIS HYPOTHESIS FOR THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PERIOD 1949-1970 AND FOR A SAMPLE OF METROPOLITAN AREAS FOR 1960. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT FLUCTUATIONS IN CRIME RATES ARE GENERATED BY CHANGES IN THE LEVEL AND DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME IN THE MANNER PREDICTED BY THE THEORY. POLICY ALTERNATIVES ARE DISCUSSED. THE PAPER CONCLUDES THAT SOME ECONOMISTS HAVE OVERSTATED THE ROLE OF PUNISHMENT AND NEGLECTED THAT OF INCOME REDISTRIBUTION AS A CRIME DETERRENT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)