A Theory of Crime and Vigilance

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Vasquez, Jorge
• 署名单位: Smith College
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-MICROECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7669
• DOI: 10.1257/mic.20190339
• 发表日期: 2022
• 页码: 255-303
• 关键词: private precautions; law-enforcement; Property value; PROTECTION; security; deterrence; victim; externalities; demand; drop

摘要

This paper develops a theory of crime in which potential victims elect their vigilance levels. When vigilance expenses are greater than expected property losses, an increase in penalties raises crime, namely, a criminal Laffer curve emerges. This curve is higher and peaks earlier when victims face higher costs. Thus, the government may wish to subsidize vigilance rather than increase penalties. Indeed, an increase in penalties may shift the vigilance levels further away from their socially optimal ones. Finally, the crime rate first rises and then falls in the property value at stake, which is consistent with the empirical evidence.