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Time to punishment: The effects of a shorter criminal procedure on crime rates

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  • Dušek, Libor

Abstract

A shorter and simpler criminal procedure may affect crime rates by increasing the perceived severity of punishment and by inducing a reallocation of police enforcement resources. I investigate the impacts of a criminal procedure reform in the Czech Republic that allowed certain less serious offenses to be prosecuted via a simplified (fast-track) procedure. The share of cases actually prosecuted via the fast-track procedure varied substantially across police districts and offenses, which provides the basis for the identification strategy. The shorter procedure had very different effects on ordinary crimes reported by the victims compared with crimes that are identified mostly by police enforcement efforts. Specifically, it led to a substantial increase in the number of recorded criminal offenses associated with driving. This finding is best rationalized by a reallocation of police enforcement effort towards crimes that have low enforcement costs. I also find some, albeit rather weak, evidence of a deterrent effect on burglary and embezzlement.

Suggested Citation

  • Dušek, Libor, 2015. "Time to punishment: The effects of a shorter criminal procedure on crime rates," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 134-147.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:irlaec:v:43:y:2015:i:c:p:134-147
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irle.2014.04.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gary S. Becker, 1974. "Crime and Punishment: An Economic Approach," NBER Chapters, in: Essays in the Economics of Crime and Punishment, pages 1-54, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    3. Davis, Michael L, 1988. "Time and Punishment: An Intertemporal Model of Crime," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 96(2), pages 383-390, April.
    4. Edward L. Glaeser & Bruce Sacerdote & José A. Scheinkman, 1996. "Crime and Social Interactions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 111(2), pages 507-548.
    5. David S. Lee & Justin McCrary, 2005. "Crime, Punishment, and Myopia," NBER Working Papers 11491, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Helen Tauchen, 2010. "Estimating the Supply of Crime: Recent Advances," Chapters, in: Bruce L. Benson & Paul R. Zimmerman (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Crime, chapter 2, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Bruce L. Benson & Paul R. Zimmerman (ed.), 2010. "Handbook on the Economics of Crime," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13180.
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    Cited by:

    1. Friehe, Tim & Miceli, Thomas J., 2023. "Celerity of punishment and deterrence: The impacts of discounting and present bias," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    2. Libor Dušek & Christian Traxler, 2024. "Swiftness and Delay of Punishment," CESifo Working Paper Series 10906, CESifo.

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