When do more police induce more crime?

Casilda Lasso de la Vega, Oscar Volij () and Federico Weinschelbaum
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Oscar Volij: Ben Gurion University

Economic Theory, 2023, vol. 76, issue 3, No 2, 759-778

Abstract: Abstract We provide a necessary and sufficient condition on the equilibrium of a Walrasian economy for an increase in police expenditure to induce an increase in crime. It turns out that this is essentially the condition for the Laffer curve to be downward sloping at a given ad valorem tax rate. Notably, such a perverse effect of police on crime is consistent with any appropriation technology and could arise even if the level of police protection is the socially optimal one.

Keywords: Theft; Police; Walrasian equilibrium; Crime; Laffer curve (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 D74 H23 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Working Paper: When do more police induce more crime? (2022)
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DOI: 10.1007/s00199-022-01477-7

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