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A Theory of ‘Too Big To Jail’

Author

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  • Bos Iwan

    (Department of Organisation, Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Motivated by some recent examples, this paper employs a model of public law enforcement to explain why it may not be in society’s interest to send criminals to prison. We establish two main findings. First, independent of the lawbreaker’s societal position, imprisonment is suboptimal when the harm from the illegal activity is sufficiently small. Second, for a given level of harm, imprisonment is suboptimal when the lawbreaker is sufficiently important. This latter result thus provides a rationale for why some parties are taken to be ‘too big to jail’.

Suggested Citation

  • Bos Iwan, 2021. "A Theory of ‘Too Big To Jail’," Review of Law & Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 17(3), pages 569-582, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:rlecon:v:17:y:2021:i:3:p:569-582:n:4
    DOI: 10.1515/rle-2021-0061
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. A. Mitchell Polinsky & Steven Shavell (ed.), 2007. "Handbook of Law and Economics," Handbook of Law and Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 2, number 2.
    2. Polinsky, A. Mitchell & Shavell, Steven, 2007. "The Theory of Public Enforcement of Law," Handbook of Law and Economics, in: A. Mitchell Polinsky & Steven Shavell (ed.), Handbook of Law and Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 6, pages 403-454, Elsevier.
    3. Polinsky, A. Mitchell & Shavell, Steven, 1984. "The optimal use of fines and imprisonment," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 89-99, June.
    4. Steven Shavell & A. Mitchell Polinsky, 2000. "The Economic Theory of Public Enforcement of Law," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 38(1), pages 45-76, March.
    5. Edward E. Zajac, 1996. "Political Economy of Fairness," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262740192, April.
    6. A. Mitchell Polinsky & Steven Shavell (ed.), 2007. "Handbook of Law and Economics," Handbook of Law and Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 1, number 1.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    class justice; nonmonetary sanctions; optimal law enforcement; too big to jail;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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