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DOES PUNISHMENT PAY?

NCJ Number
67100
Journal
Public Finance Volume: 33 Issue: 1-2 Dated: (1978) Pages: 90-97
Author(s)
A G HOLTMANN; L YAP
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY SOUGHT TO SUBSTANTIATE THE ECONOMIC MODEL THAT INDIVIDUALS CONSIDER THE BENEFITS AND COSTS IN ALLOCATING THEIR TIME BETWEEN LEGAL AND ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.
Abstract
IN QUANTIFYING THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF PUNISHMENT ON CRIME RATES, THE STUDY RECOGNIZED THE POSSIBILITY OF SUBSTITUTION AMONG CRIMES. THE RESEARCHERS EXAMINED THE EFFECT OF BOTH THE OWN-PUNISHMENT LEVEL AND THE PUNISHMENT LEVELS FOR SUBSTITUTE OFFENSES ON THE OFFENSE RATE FOR A SPECIFIC CRIME. THEY ANALYZED ROBBERY, BURGLARY, AND LARCENY USING TWO-STAGE LEAST SQUARES ESTIMATION AND STATE DATA FOR 1970. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT REDUCING IMPRISONMENT FOR SOME CRIMES MIGHT WELL REDUCE THE TOTAL COST OF CRIME. REDUCING THE PUNISHMENT FOR LARCENY MAY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LARCENY OFFENSES COMMITTED, BUT IT MAY ALSO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ROBBERIES AND BURGLARIES ENOUGH THAT THE NET PROPERTY GAIN TO THE COMMUNITY IS POSITIVE. THE STUDY CONCLUDED THAT INDIVIDUALS DO CONSIDER THE BENEFITS AND COSTS IN ALLOCATING THEIR TIME BETWEEN LEGAL AND ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. A TABLE, FOOTNOTES, AND 20 REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)

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