Criminal Deterrence: Revisiting the Issue with a Birth Cohort

26 Pages Posted: 29 Dec 2006 Last revised: 4 Apr 2022

See all articles by Helen Tauchen

Helen Tauchen

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Ann Dryden Witte

Wellesley College - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Harriet Griesinger

Wellesley College

Date Written: February 1993

Abstract

In this paper, we estimate the general deterrent effect of criminal justice resources on criminal behavior. Our panel data, which combine individual-level information on arrests and personal characteristics with aggregate measures of criminal justice resources, allow us to obtain deterrence measures that more closely reflect theoretical concepts and are of potential policy relevance. We find robust evidence of a general deterrent effect in our estimates of error components probit and Tobit models.

Suggested Citation

Tauchen, Helen V. and Dryden Witte, Ann and Griesinger, Harriet E., Criminal Deterrence: Revisiting the Issue with a Birth Cohort (February 1993). NBER Working Paper No. w4277, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=478715

Helen V. Tauchen (Contact Author)

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill - Department of Economics ( email )

Chapel Hill, NC 27599
United States
919-966-2384 (Phone)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Ann Dryden Witte

Wellesley College - Department of Economics ( email )

106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02181
United States
781-283-2163 (Phone)
781-283-2177 (Fax)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Harriet E. Griesinger

Wellesley College ( email )

106 Central St.
Wellesley, MA 02181
United States