Free to Punish? The American Dream and the Harsh Treatment of Criminals

Rafael Di Tella and Juan Dubra ()

No 17309, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We describe the evolution of selective aspects of punishment in the US over the period 1980-2004. We note that imprisonment increased around 1980, a period that coincides with the "Reagan revolution" in economic matters. We build an economic model where beliefs about economic opportunities and beliefs about punishment are correlated. We present three pieces of evidence (across countries, within the US and an experimental exercise) that are consistent with the model.

JEL-codes: E62 K14 P16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mac
Note: LE PE
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published as Di Tella, Rafael. "Free to Punish? The American Dream and the Harsh Treatment of Criminals." Cato Papers on Public Policy 1 (2011).

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