An Economic Analysis of the Law on the Level of Significance of Criminal Penalties and Arrest Probability for the Degree of Property Crimes

Sarayut Khemngern (), Steven John Bodley, Tanonrat Naktang, Korna Misayyati, Sitanan Khun-in, Pitipong Aroonruviwat, Thatree Chethanom, Tanapat Lekkiatkhachorn, Theerada Somanand and Ekkachai Martwong
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Sarayut Khemngern: Upgrade Class Education Company, Thailand, Postal: Economist, Upgrade Class Education Company, 69/19-20 Patumwan Resort, Phayathai, Bangkok 10230, Thailand.
Steven John Bodley: Faculty of Science and Arts, Burapha University Chanthaburi Campus, Thailand
Tanonrat Naktang: Faculty of Science and Arts, Burapha University Chanthaburi Campus, Thailand
Korna Misayyati: Litigation Affairs Center, The Supreme Court of Thailand
Sitanan Khun-in: Faculty of Science,Kasetsart University,Thailand
Pitipong Aroonruviwat: Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University,Thailand
Thatree Chethanom: Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University,Thailand
Tanapat Lekkiatkhachorn: Faculty of Political Science and Law, Burapha University, Thailand
Theerada Somanand: The Nakhonsithammarat Kwaeng Court, Thailand
Ekkachai Martwong: Faculty of Science and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Suvarnabhumi,Thailand

Asian Journal of Applied Economics/ Applied Economics Journal, 2022, vol. 29, issue 1, 148-164

Abstract: Crime is a persistent social phenomenon arising from the committing of criminal offenses against the law of the state. Criminals' incentives or motivations for criminal acts are affected by many factors such as the severity of penalties, the chances of getting arrested, level of education, gender, socio-cultural factors, and soon. This research focuses on the correlation between the severity of criminal penalties and the probability of arrest and the seriousness of crime using concepts and processes of economic law. This includes mathematical modeling as well as testing the statistical significance of themodels. The results show thatit is the severity of legal penalty that reduces property offenses. A person's behavior changes when they feel they may face a high magnitude of criminal penalty. In other words, in judging whether to perform a criminal act towards property, criminals do not consider the probability of arrest but look at the criminal penalty. The Thai legislature will be able to take this conclusion into consideration in order to modify or create appropriate legal measures in the future. One of the most suitable policiesis increasing the size of legal penalties in the Thai criminal code. When people perceive severe punishments, they will commit fewer crimes. Increasing the size of legal penalties can be achieved in a number of ways, including increasing the size of finesand requiring longer prison sentences.

Keywords: criminology; criminal penalty; criminal gravity; economic law (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: K11 K14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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