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Criminal justice from a public choice perspective: an introduction to the special issue

Author

Listed:
  • Jordan Adamson

    (Leipzig University)

  • Lucas Rentschler

    (Utah State University)

Abstract

In recent years, we have learned much about how police, defendants, and prosecutors are affected by different policies. At the same time, economic theory is being forgotten or disregarded. Even more so today, economists and political scientists treat “the enforcement apparatus of police, courts, prosecutors, and legislature as a philosopher-king, with imperfect knowledge but only the best of motives” (Friedman Law’s order: What economics has to do with law and why it matters. Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2001). This special issue contains a sampling of papers at the intersection of criminal justice and public choice. Our introduction discusses the recent literature on criminal justice and calls for a multifaceted empirical approach that incorporates the insights of public choice theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Jordan Adamson & Lucas Rentschler, 2023. "Criminal justice from a public choice perspective: an introduction to the special issue," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 196(3), pages 223-227, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:196:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1007_s11127-023-01089-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-023-01089-2
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public choice; Criminal justice; Legal policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H0 - Public Economics - - General
    • K0 - Law and Economics - - General

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