Public Safety, Altruism and Redistribution

Dominique Demougin () and Robert Schwager ()
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Robert Schwager: Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg

No 62, Cahiers de recherche CREFE / CREFE Working Papers from CREFE, Université du Québec à Montréal

Abstract: A model where a portion of the population participates in illegal activities is developed. The propensity to participate in crimes depends on the probability and the opportunity cost of being arrested. The government can influence these variables by law enforcement expenditure and by social transfer. We analyze the cost minimizing policy mix and the incentive of wealthy agents to finance redistribution. We compare this approach with standard modelling where redistribution follows from altruistic preferences.

Un modèle est développé dans lequel une partie de la population poursuit des activités illégales. Les incitations à la criminalité dépendent de la probabilité et des coûts d'opportunité d'être puni. Le gouvernement peut influencer ces variables par un systeme de coercition et par sa politique sociale. Nous étudions d'une part les choix politiques qui minimisent les coûts et d'autre part, les incitations de la population "riche" à financer une politique de redistribution. Nous comparons cette approche avec d'autres modèles dont les politiques de redistribution résultent des préférences altruistes.

Keywords: Criminality; Redistribution; Public safety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H8 K00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 18 pages
Date: 1998-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cdm, nep-pbe and nep-pub
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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