Chapter 5 Economics of Crime and Its Prevention: How Much Is Too Much? Copyright © 2010 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill/Irwin
5-2 What Is Crime? Immorality? Illegality?
5-3 Classification of Criminal Acts Department of Justice classification scheme Violent crimes Crimes against property Traffic in illegal goods and services Other crimes Recent trends in crime
5-4 The Costs of Crime Opportunity Cost Principle Direct costs + Negative Externalities + Cost of Prevention, Apprehension and Correction Total Cost of Crime Transfers of Purchasing Power Criminal activities versus Crime Prevention Activities
5-5 Different Types of Goods and Services Characteristics of Goods and Services Exclusivity Rivalry Private Goods and Services Semi-private Goods and Services Externalities Government intervention in the case of externalities Public Goods and Services Free-rider problem Government production of public goods
5-6 The Optimal Level of Crime Prevention Cost-Benefit Analysis of Crime Prevention Units of Crime Prevention per Year Total Benefit to Society Marginal Social Benefit Total Cost of Society Marginal Social Cost Net Benefit to Society
5-7 Allocation of the Crime Prevention Budget Equimarginal Principle
5-8 Changing the Legal Status of Goods and Services Marijuana (millions of ounces per year) Price per ounce D1D1 D1D1 S1S1 S1S1 P1P1 M1M1 D2D2 D2D2 S2S2 S2S2 M2M2 P2P2
5-9 Causes of Criminal Activity Economic benefits of crime Psychic income Economic costs of crime Psychic costs