Crime and Punishment Again: The Economic Approach with a Psychological Twist / William T. Dickens.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Dickens, William T.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w1884.

NBER working paper series no. w1884

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Other Title:

Crime and Punishment Again

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 1986.

Summary:

Akerlof and Dickens (1982) suggested that in a model of criminal behavior which considered the effects of cognitive dissonance, increasing the severity of punishment could increase the crime rate. This paper demonstrates that that conjecture was correct. With cognitive dissonance, people may have to rationalize not committing crimes under normal circumstances if punishment is not severe. The rationalization may lead them to underestimate the expected utility of committing crimes when opportunities present themselves. If punishment is severe, then rationalization may not be necessary and people may be more likely to commit crimes when opportunities arise.

Notes:

Print version record

April 1986.