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Deterrent Effect of Imprisonment

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco Drago

    (UNINA - University of Naples Federico II = Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II)

  • Roberto Galbiati

    (ECON - Département d'économie (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

During the last decades, societies have largely used incarceration as a central crime control tool. Between 1970 and 2008, the prison population per 1,000 inhabitants increased by a factor of more than 4.5 in the USA. Despite a dramatic difference in incarceration levels between the two sides of the Atlantic, also in European countries, prison population increased by a factor between two and three over the period 1970–2008 (Buonanno et al. 2011). This massive increase in incarceration had been coupled with a strong debate in social sciences over the magnitude of its impact on crime rates and over the reasons why crime rates might react to changes in prison population. Those favoring an increase in the severity of the criminal justice system have often argued that increasing prison sentences will lead prospective criminals to reduce their criminal activity. Criminals in fact would weight costs and benefits of crime, and an increase in the cost of criminal activities foll

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Drago & Roberto Galbiati, 2014. "Deterrent Effect of Imprisonment," Post-Print hal-03259811, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03259811
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rafael Di Tella & Ernesto Schargrodsky, 2013. "Criminal Recidivism after Prison and Electronic Monitoring," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 121(1), pages 28-73.
    2. Francesco Drago & Roberto Galbiati, 2012. "Indirect Effects of a Policy Altering Criminal Behavior: Evidence from the Italian Prison Experiment," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 4(2), pages 199-218, April.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Lotti, Giulia, "undated". "Tough on young offenders : harmful or helpful?," Economic Research Papers 269320, University of Warwick - Department of Economics.

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