Street lighting is often believed to influence street crime, but most prior studies have examined small-scale interventions in limited areas. The effect of large-scale lighting enhancements on public safety remains uncertain. This study evaluates the impact of Philadelphia’s citywide rollout of enhanced street lighting, which began in August 2023. Over 10 months, 34,374 streetlights were […]
Can Enhanced Street Lighting Improve Public Safety at Scale?
Can Enhanced Street Lighting Improve Public Safety at Scale?
28 Feb 2025 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, econometerics, economics of crime, labour economics, law and economics, occupational choice Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Remembering Tariana Turia
09 Jan 2025 Leave a comment
in politics - New Zealand Tags: criminal deterrence, law and order, racial discrimination
Dame Tariana Turia has been well-remembered by many over the past few days. She was warm, had a great sense of humour, and was, above all, highly principled. People I trust have said so and I believe them. Having never met her, however, I knew her only by the thoughts she publicly expressed.On not infrequent…
Remembering Tariana Turia
A cowardly cop killer
01 Jan 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Stuff reports: A police officer has died after a car “being used as a weapon” hit her and a colleague, in a New Year’s Eve incident in Nelson. After hitting the two officers, the vehicle allegedly returned and rammed a police car with an officer and a member of the public inside. After due process […]
A cowardly cop killer
More Police, Fewer Prisons, and Other Ways to Reduce Crime
29 Dec 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, economics of crime, human capital, labour economics, labour supply, law and economics, occupational choice, politics - USA Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
What does the existing research evidence say about how to reduce crime? Jennifer Doleac offers and over overview in “Why Crime Matters, and What to Do About It.” It appear as an essay in a book published by the Aspen Economic Strategy Group, Strengthening America’s Economic Dynamism, edited by Melissa Kearney and Luke Pardue. You…
More Police, Fewer Prisons, and Other Ways to Reduce Crime
“This Orange County…They Don’t Play”: California’s Tougher Shoplifting Law Receives Curious Endorsement
27 Dec 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, economics of crime, Gary Becker, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Proposition 36, which increases punishments for some retail theft and drug possession offenses, overwhelmingly passed in California despite the opposition of Gov. Gavin Newsom and most Democrats. Newsom denounced the measure as something that “takes us back to the 1980s, mass incarceration.” Despite discussing her tough-on-crime record in the election, Vice President Kamala Harris refused […]
“This Orange County…They Don’t Play”: California’s Tougher Shoplifting Law Receives Curious Endorsement
Biden’s Curious Capital Punishment Stance is Vintage Biden
26 Dec 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: capital punishment, crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
The decision of President Joe Biden to clear the federal death row has caused an uproar in some quarters and praise in others. There are good-faith arguments on both sides. However, there was a curious element to the Biden pardons for 37 people on death row. There were 40 people on death row. Three remain.
Biden’s Curious Capital Punishment Stance is Vintage Biden
Poverty and crime
23 Dec 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Introduction The relationship between poverty and crime has long been a topic of social studies, with many assuming that poverty is a major driving force behind criminal behavior. This essay argues that this perspective oversimplifies the complexities of both poverty and crime, presenting a misleading narrative about their correlation. By acknowledging that the majority of poor […]
Poverty and crime
Warren’s “Warning”: Democratic Senator Explains Thompson was Murdered Because “You Can Only Push People So Far.”
13 Dec 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is under fire for her statement to Joy Reid on MSNBC explaining why Luigi Mangione allegedly murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Warren explained that this was a “warning ” that “you can only push people so far.” After a public outcry, Warren walked back her statement. Yet, the statement captures the […]
Warren’s “Warning”: Democratic Senator Explains Thompson was Murdered Because “You Can Only Push People So Far.”
Greene Case Could Trigger New Georgia Law on Swatting
13 Dec 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
On Monday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., was again the victim of a swatting call at her north Georgia home. This call, however, had a lethal difference: an officer was involved in a crash in rushing to the scene to join the bomb squad. A woman was killed. The incident will trigger a new Georgia […]
Greene Case Could Trigger New Georgia Law on Swatting
102 murders in Sweden by children
12 Dec 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order, Sweden
There were 102 murders in Sweden in the last eight months, allegedly committed by children aged 14 or younger. That is a shocking number. Why is it so high. Well in Sweden the age of criminal responsibility is 15. So if you kill someone and are 14 or younger, you can’t be prosecuted. So the […]
102 murders in Sweden by children
Mark David Chapman and the Murder of John Lennon
09 Dec 2024 Leave a comment
in economic history, economics of crime, law and economics, Music Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, economics of mental health, law and order
The murder of John Lennon on December 8, 1980, stands as one of the most shocking and tragic events in music and cultural history. Mark David Chapman, the man responsible for this heinous act, became infamous as the individual who ended the life of one of the most beloved and influential figures in the world […]
Mark David Chapman and the Murder of John Lennon
Are protection orders worth anything?
05 Dec 2024 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economics of crime, gender, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
The Spinoff has an article by Zeni Gibson which details eight years of harassment by a man called Greg. Her suffering has been appalling, and hey tormenter has made a mockery of the law that should be protecting her. I can’t even summarise all the multiple failings, but it sadly doesn’t surprise me. There have…
Are protection orders worth anything?
The Missing Myths
04 Dec 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, discrimination, economic history, economics of climate change, economics of information, economics of media and culture, economics of regulation, energy economics, entrepreneurship, environmental economics, environmentalism, financial economics, gender, global warming, health economics, human capital, income redistribution, labour economics, labour supply, law and economics, liberalism, libertarianism, Marxist economics, occupational choice, politics - USA, poverty and inequality, property rights, Public Choice, rentseeking Tags: Age of Enlightenment, crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, free speech, gender wage gap, law and order, political correctness, racial discrimination, regressive left, sex discrimination
Michael Huemer’s Progressive Myths is the best book on wokeness. One of its many strengths is its focus on basic facts. As the author explains:I have selected beliefs that can be debunked fairly quickly and forcefully. Many other progressive beliefs require long argumentation and subjective judgment calls to assess. About these more difficult issues, I…
The Missing Myths
Small but promising change
26 Nov 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Mark Mitchell released data on crime. The summary was: So a huge reduction in ram raids and modest reductions in violent crimes. Change takes time, and hopefully next year will see larger drops.
Small but promising change
Three Strikes law slightly improved but still unlikely to be an effective deterrent
25 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Nicole McKee announced: The Government is listening to New Zealanders and Cabinet has agreed to recommend modifications to the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. I’m glad they took on board that the bill as introduced was so watered down from the old law, that it would not be…
Three Strikes law slightly improved but still unlikely to be an effective deterrent
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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