Lessons from the Economics of Crime: What Reduces Offending? (CESifo Seminar Series)

Research from the United States, Europe, and South America demonstrates the usefulness of the tools of economic analysis for the study of crime. Economists who bring the tools of economic analysis to bear on the study of crime and crime prevention contribute to current debates a normative framework and sophisticated quantitative methods for evaluating policy, the idea of criminal behavior as rational choice, and the connection of individual choices to aggregate outcomes. The contributors to this volume draw on all three of these approaches in their investigations and discuss the policy implications of their findings. Reporting on research in the United States, Europe, and South America, the chapters discuss such topics as a cost-benefit analysis of additional police hiring, the testing of innovative policy interventions through field experiments, imprisonment and recidivism rates, incentives and disincentives for sports hooliganism ("hooliganomics"), data showing the influence of organized crime on the quality of local politicians, and the (scant) empirical evidence for the effect of immigration on crime. These contributions demonstrate the eclectic approach of economists studying crime as well as their increasing respect for the contributions of other social scientists in this area. Contributors Brian Bell, Paolo Buonanno, Philip J. Cook, John J. Donohue III, Jeffrey R. Kling, Jens Ludwig, Stephen Machin, Olivier Marie, Giovanni Mastrobuoni, Sendhil Mullainathan, Aurélie Ouss, Emily Greene Owens, Stefan Pichler, Paolo Pinotti, Mikael Priks, Daniel Römer, Rodrigo R. Soares, Igor Viveiros Economists Who Bring The Tools Of Economic Analysis To Bear On The Study Of Crime And Crime Prevention Contribute To Current Debates A Normative Framework And Sophisticated Quantitative Methods For Evaluating Policy, The Idea Of Criminal Behavior As Rational Choice, And The Connection Of Individual Choices To Aggregate Outcomes. The Contributors To This Volume Draw On All Three Of These Approaches In Their Investigations And Discuss The Policy Implications Of Their Findings. Reporting On Research In The United States, Europe, And South America, The Chapters Discuss Such Topics As A Cost-benefit Analysis Of Additional Police Hiring, The Testing Of Innovative Policy Interventions Through Field Experiments, Imprisonment And Recidivism Rates, Incentives And Disincentives For Sports Hooliganism (hooliganomics), Data Showing The Influence Of Organized Crime On The Quality Of Local Politicians, And The (scant) Empirical Evidence For The Effect Of Immigration On Crime. These Contributions Demonstrate The Eclectic Approach Of Economists Studying Crime As Well As Their Increasing Respect For The Contributions Of Other Social Scientists In This Area--provided By Publisher. Crime Economics In Its Fifth Decade / Philip J. Cook, Stephen Machin, Olivier Marie, And Giovanni Mastrobuoni -- Cops And Cuffs / Emily Greene Owens -- Drug Prohibition And Its Alternatives / John J. Donohue Iii -- Mechanism Experiments For Crime Policy / Jens Ludwig, Jeffrey R. Kling, And Sendhil Mullainathan -- What Works In Reducing Re-offending? / Aurélie Ouss -- The Young Prisoner's Dilemma : Juvenile : Recidivism In Germany / Stefan Pichler And Daniel Römer -- What Works In Reducing Hooliganism? / Mikael Priks -- Crime And Immigration : What Do We Know? / Brian Bell And Stephen Machin -- Organized Crime, Violence, And The Quality Of Politicians : Evidence From Southern Italy / Paolo Pinotti -- Centralized Versus Decentralized Police Hiring In Italy And The United States / Paolo Buonnano And Giovanni Mastrobunoni -- The Program Of Integration And Management In Public Safety In Minas Gerais, Brazil : A Descriptive Analysis / Rodrigo Soares And Igor Viveiros. Edited By Philip J. Cook, Stephen Machin, Olivier Marie, And Giovanni Mastrobuoni. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Reporting on research in the United States, Europe, and South America, this book discusses such topics as a cost-benefit analysis of additional police hiring, the testing of innovative policy interventions through field experiments, imprisonment and recidivism rates, incentives and disincentives for sports hooliganism and much more.