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Focusing law enforcement when offenders can choose location

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  • Friehe, Tim
  • Miceli, Thomas J.

Abstract

This paper explores the advantages of focusing law enforcement on some locations when offenders can choose locations. The substitutability of different crimes from the offender's perspective is established as the key variable determining whether asymmetric enforcement is socially desirable. When it is easy for offenders to substitute crimes, focused law enforcement can be preferable only when the act imposes more harm in one location than in another (e.g., speeding in a residential or industrial area).

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  • Friehe, Tim & Miceli, Thomas J., 2015. "Focusing law enforcement when offenders can choose location," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 105-112.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:irlaec:v:42:y:2015:i:c:p:105-112
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irle.2015.01.006
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    Cited by:

    1. Friehe, Tim & Pham, Cat Lam & Miceli, Thomas J., 2018. "Law enforcement in a federal system: Endogenous timing of decentralized enforcement effort," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 134-141.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Crime; Deterrence; Focused enforcement; Allocation of police;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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