Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Journal of Labor Economics
Publication Date
1986
Page Number
317
Keywords
crime, criminal deterrence, risk-return relationships, crime prevention, law enforcement, criminal behavior
Disciplines
Criminal Law | Law
Abstract
Whereas previous analyses of criminal deterrence have focused on the effect of criminal enforcement on crime rates, this study analyzes the existence of compensating differentials for criminal pursuits. By analyzing the risk-rewards trade-off, this approach represents a more comprehensive test of the criminal deterrence hypothesis. The sample consisted of black inner-city youths who reported their crime participation, crime income, and self-assessed risks from crime. The risk premiums for the three principal adverse outcomes (arrest, conviction, and prison) constituted between one-half and two-thirds of all crime income on the average, providing strong support for the criminal deterrence hypothesis
Recommended Citation
W. Kip Viscusi,
The Risks and Rewards of Criminal Activity: A Comprehensive Test of Criminal Deterrence, 4 Journal of Labor Economics. 317
(1986)
Available at: https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/faculty-publications/134