Work

Let the Punishment Fit the Criminal: Punishment Progressivity in a Self-governed Community in Southeastern Spain

Year: 2018

Type: report

Abstract: We investigate the roles of individual characteristics and punishment progressivity on crime. Our analysis reconciles low crime rates with light punishments in self-governed communities (Ostrom, 1990), using formal punishments to deter crime (Becker, 1968). We use a novel trial dataset on water stealing from a self-governed community in Mula, Spain. We present a model with predictions consistent with farmers' behavior in Mula: (i) judges trade off crime deterrence and insurance, recognizing that minimizing crime could be socially inefficient; (ii) punishments depend on the defendant's and victim's characteristics; (iii) recidivists are punished harsher than first time offenders for the same crime.

Source: Munich Personal RePEc Archive (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich)

Authors: Donna, Javier, Espin Sanchez, Jose

Institutions: Yale University, The Ohio State University

Language: English

Topic: Law, Economics, and Judicial Systems

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

Funders: Yale University, Ohio State University, Northwestern University

OpenAlex ID: W1653459947