Detection Avoidance and Deterrence: Some Paradoxical Arithmetic

Eric LANGLAIS ()

Journal of Public Economic Theory, 2008, vol. 10, issue 3, pages 371-382

Abstract: This paper extends Malik's analysis to the case where criminals' avoidance efforts and public expenditures in the detection of criminals are strategic complements in the aggregate technology of control of illegal behaviors. In this set up, we show that whenever criminals' avoidance efforts are more sensitive to the frequency than to the severity of sanctions, it is always socially efficient to set the fine at the maximal possible level. However, several paradoxical consequences occur: there may exist overdeterrence at optimum; more repressive policies lead to fewer arrests of offenders while more crimes may be committed; at the same time, the society may be closer to the first best number of crimes. Copyright © 2008 Blackwell Publishing, Inc..

Date: 2008

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9779.2008.00367.x link to full text (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
Working Paper: Detection avoidance and deterrence: some paradoxical arithmetics (2007)
Working Paper: Detection avoidance and deterrence: some paradoxical arithmetics (2006)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:jpbect:v:10:y:2008:i:3:p:371-382

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.blackwell ... bs.asp?ref=1097-3923

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Public Economic Theory is edited by John P. Conley and Myrna Holtz Wooders

More articles in Journal of Public Economic Theory from Association for Public Economic Theory
Series data maintained by Christopher F. Baum ().