Gary Becker’s famous model of rational crime suggests that criminals weigh up the costs and benefits of crime (and engage in a criminal act if the benefits outweigh the costs). Time preferences matter in this model, because the benefits of a criminal act are usually realised immediately, whereas the greatest costs (including the penalties of…
More impatient people are more likely to commit crime
More impatient people are more likely to commit crime
09 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, econometerics, economics of crime, economics of education, labour economics, law and economics, occupational choice Tags: cognitive psychology, crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Laptop Deniers in Delaware: The Media Shrugs as the Biden Laptop is Authenticated in Federal Court
08 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2020 presidential election, 2024 presidential election
Below is my column in Fox.com on the authentication of Hunter Biden laptop in the Delaware trial. The government has denounced the Russian disinformation claims as a “conspiracy theory” and put on evidence that there is no evidence of tampering with the laptop. The FBI declared the laptop to be “real” and “authentic” and the […]
Laptop Deniers in Delaware: The Media Shrugs as the Biden Laptop is Authenticated in Federal Court
Just Ask Mookie: Hunter Biden Has No Defense Other Than Nullification
06 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election
Below is my column in the New York Post on the first day of testimony in the trial of Hunter Biden. Every claim of the defense seemed to collapse in the first two days of the trial. The defense argued that Hunter did not check the box on the gun form, so the prosecutors called […]
Just Ask Mookie: Hunter Biden Has No Defense Other Than Nullification
Is Hunter Biden Pursuing a Jury Nullification Strategy?
05 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, economics of regulation, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election
Below is my column in The Hill on the start of the Hunter Biden trial and the elements of a classic jury nullification strategy by the defense. It is not clear that it will work in an otherwise open-and-shut case, but it might. What is clear is that it may be all that Biden has […]
Is Hunter Biden Pursuing a Jury Nullification Strategy?
Stephen Tierney: The Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024: Necessary remedy or unwarranted interference with judicial independence?
04 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics Tags: British constitutional law
For the first time, by way of the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act (“the Act”), Parliament has legislated to quash criminal convictions. In this post I will argue that, no matter how understandable, indeed laudable, the intention behind this legislation, in its haste to offer a speedy and comprehensive correction to mass injustice, Parliament has crossed […]
Stephen Tierney: The Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024: Necessary remedy or unwarranted interference with judicial independence?
Pushback on Pessimism About Randomized Controlled Trials
03 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, econometerics, economics of crime, law and economics Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Back in January, I posted about an article that was getting some attention in my world. Megan T. Stevenson is an active researcher in the criminal-justice-and-economics literature. She argues that when you look at the published studies that use randomized control trial methods to evaluate ways of reducing crime, most of the studies don’t show a…
Pushback on Pessimism About Randomized Controlled Trials
U.S.A. v. Karl Brandt et al.: The Doctors’ Trial
02 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in defence economics, economics of crime, International law, law and economics, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Nazi Germany, The Holocaust, World War II
The Doctors’ Trial, officially known as United States of America v. Karl Brandt, et al., was the first of 12 subsequent Nuremberg Trials held after World War II. These trials were conducted to bring Nazi war criminals to justice for their roles in the Holocaust and other war crimes. The Doctors’ Trial specifically focused on […]
U.S.A. v. Karl Brandt et al.: The Doctors’ Trial
Trump is Convicted: What Comes Next?
01 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2016 presidential elections, 2024 presidential election
This morning, many of us are emerging from the late coverage last night after the conviction of former President Donald Trump on 34 felonies. I was in the courtroom for the verdict, which hit like a thunderclap (particularly after a strange snafu with the judge). The question that everyone is asking: what happens next?
Trump is Convicted: What Comes Next?
Karen Chhour Skewers The Maori Party
31 May 2024 Leave a comment
in economic history, economics of crime, economics of education, income redistribution, labour economics, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand, poverty and inequality, property rights, Public Choice, public economics Tags: child abuse, child poverty, crime and punishment, family poverty, law and order
Article is by Chris Lynch and I have pinched this one from The BFD Blog. `ĀCT MP Karen Chhour has responded to the Maori Party’s “divisive outbursts.” Co-leader Rawiri Waititi said yesterday, ‘It’s now time for us to step comfortably into our rangatiratanga and to not give too much to this Pakeha Government with their […]
Karen Chhour Skewers The Maori Party
How Nazi war criminals fled to South America – WW2 Documentary Special
31 May 2024 Leave a comment
in defence economics, economics of crime, law and economics, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Nazi Germany, The Holocaust, World War II
‘Arguments Libertarians shouldn’t make’ with David Friedman
30 May 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, David Friedman, defence economics, economic history, economics of crime, environmental economics, history of economic thought, law and economics, liberalism, libertarianism
Professor Accuses UCLA of “Torturing” Pro-Palestinian Protesters
29 May 2024 Leave a comment
in defence economics, economics of crime, economics of education, law and economics, laws of war, Marxist economics, politics - USA, property rights, war and peace Tags: free speech, Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, political correctness, regressive left, war against terror
UCLA Professor Hannah Appel has accused the school of human rights violations amounting to “torture” in the treatment of pro-Palestinian protesters. The reason is the denial of water and food from being brought into a building being unlawfully occupied by protesters, even though the students were free to leave at any time.
Professor Accuses UCLA of “Torturing” Pro-Palestinian Protesters
Most media again ignoring incitement to violence by Te Pati Maori
29 May 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand
Here we have Te Pati Maori saying the revolution is here, with crossed guns as imagery. Sarah Palin got crucified by many media for merely posting an imagine of a politician in cross-hairs. Imagine an ACT MP posted something showing pistols and calling for revolution? It would lead every news story. View this post on…
Most media again ignoring incitement to violence by Te Pati Maori
Putting children first
26 May 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: child protection, economics of fertility
Ele Ludemann writes – Minister for Children Karen Chhour is putting children first: Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I move, That the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Social Services and Community Committee to consider the bill.
Putting children first
How serious is an MP’s failure to declare $178k in donations?
23 May 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s being explained as an “inadvertent error”. However, National MP David MacLeod’s excuse for failing to disclose $178,000 in donations for his election campaign last year is not necessarily enough to prevent some serious consequences. A Police investigation is now likely, and the result of his non-disclosure could even see him […]
How serious is an MP’s failure to declare $178k in donations?
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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