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
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
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
Sonoma State University President Suspended For Caving to Pro-Palestinian Protesters
18 May 2024 Leave a comment
in defence economics, economics of education, politics - USA, war and peace Tags: free speech, Gaza Strip, Israel, law and order, Middle-East politics, political correctness, regressive left, war against terror

Sonoma State University President Mike Lee has been suspended after sending out an email yielding to the demands of pro-Palestinian students and faculty. In a Wednesday statement, California State University Chancellor Mildred Garcia criticized Lee for “insubordination” and placed him on administrative leave. Lee had only been in the position for 20 months.
Sonoma State University President Suspended For Caving to Pro-Palestinian Protesters
Some three strikes data
11 May 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
1st strikers 2nd strikers This data comes from someone who has OIAd this data. The Government’s proposed new law will see 55% of violent or sexual offenders not get a first strike and 31% of what would have been second strikers not get a second strike. Arguably it could even see 75% of first strikers and 53% […]
Some three strikes data
Meanwhile “… the disturbing trend of increasing violence towards children continues to worsen.”
05 May 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: child abuse, crime and punishment, law and order
The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour blind, utterly child centric and open to whatever solution will ensure a child’s…
Meanwhile “… the disturbing trend of increasing violence towards children continues to worsen.”
LINDSAY MITCHELL: Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
26 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economics of bureaucracy, economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice Tags: crime and punishment, law and order

One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children in care now than as at 30 June 2019 when there were 6450 children and…
LINDSAY MITCHELL: Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
Meet a (Won’t be a striker at all) – former Third Striker # 1
25 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Ranapera Taumata is a Third Striker. He murdered his girlfriend in 2019 by beating her to death with his bare hands. The Judge summarised: Over the next 17 minutes or so, inside the sleepout you inflicted a prolongedand violent assault on Ms Hira, rendering her unconscious and injured. At about1.15 am you dragged her outside; she […]
Meet a (Won’t be a striker at all) – former Third Striker # 1
Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Waitangi Tribunal’s summons
25 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does not spell out what the […]
Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Waitangi Tribunal’s summons
A weak Three Strikes law
24 Apr 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 delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. The return is welcome in principle, but what is being proposed is actually pretty weak and even ineffective. Cover the same 40 serious violent and sexual offences as the former legislation, […]
A weak Three Strikes law
Berkeley Prosecutors Cut Probation Deal for Scientist Who Tried to Kill Colleague
19 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics Tags: crime and punishment, law and order
I have been a criminal defense attorney for my entire career, but there is a case out of Berkeley, California that is a real head scratcher. David Xu was the chief metallurgist for a company called Berkeley Engineering and Research (BEAR) and was caught on tape trying to poison a colleague. His actions are blamed […]
Berkeley Prosecutors Cut Probation Deal for Scientist Who Tried to Kill Colleague
Expensive grub and fags
13 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics Tags: crime and punishment, economics of corruption, law and order

CITIZEN SCIENCE: Govt continues to be captured by trans ideology
07 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economics of crime, gender, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: free speech, law and order, political correctness, regressive left, sex discrimination
As the rest of the world wakes up from the trans fever dream, our media and political class continue to trundle along with their fingers in their ears and their eyes firmly shut. Radio New Zealand has avoided the topic for a while, but a couple of weeks ago treated us to a pantomime story…
CITIZEN SCIENCE: Govt continues to be captured by trans ideology
Why NZ First shouldn’t get any apologies for the SFO’s failed prosecution
28 Mar 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights Tags: crime and punishment, law and order
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found in […]
Why NZ First shouldn’t get any apologies for the SFO’s failed prosecution
Home detention for attempted murder
25 Mar 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
The Herald reports: A high school student wrote a detailed “kill plan” and told his ex to stay away from school on the day he wanted to kill her new boyfriend. But when his plans went awry, the teen instead went to his schoolmate’s home days later, swinging a machete at his victim’s head, slicing…
Home detention for attempted murder
The Ghahraman Conflict
15 Mar 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, law and order, media bias
What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on the case in Stuff in 2016 and another story about them […]
The Ghahraman Conflict
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