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Profiling, Screening, and Criminal Recruitment

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  • CHRISTOPHER COTTON
  • CHENG LI

Abstract

We model major criminal activity as a game in which a law enforcement officer chooses the rate at which to screen different population groups, and a criminal organization (e.g., drug cartel, terrorist cell) chooses the observable characteristics of its recruits. Our model best describes smuggling or terrorism activities at borders, airports, and other security checkpoints. The most effective law enforcement policy imposes only moderate restrictions on the officer's ability to profile. In contrast to models of decentralized crime, requiring equal treatment never improves the effectiveness of law enforcement.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Cotton & Cheng Li, 2015. "Profiling, Screening, and Criminal Recruitment," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 17(6), pages 964-985, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jpbect:v:17:y:2015:i:6:p:964-985
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/jpet.12115
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    Cited by:

    1. Cheng Li & Christopher Cotton, 2023. "Profiling restrictions in a model of law enforcement and strategic crime," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 55(3), pages 511-532, June.
    2. Bjørnskov, Christian, 2015. "Does economic freedom really kill? On the association between ‘Neoliberal’ policies and homicide rates," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 207-219.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • H56 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - National Security and War
    • J78 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Public Policy (including comparable worth)
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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