NCJ Number
168732
Journal
Journal of Quantitative Criminology Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: September 1997 Pages: 291-323
Date Published
1997
Length
33 pages
Annotation
This study estimated the pretreatment and posttreatment costs of criminal activity for a sample of 2,420 drug abusers.
Abstract
Several studies have examined the social consequences and costs of criminal activity. The most popular approach for estimating the costs of crime focuses on easily measurable factors such as incarceration costs, victims' out-of-pocket expenses, medical costs, and lost earnings; however, the intangible losses incurred by crime victims have rarely been considered. These losses include pain and suffering as well as loss of the enjoyment of living. Based on recent developments by Cohen and colleagues, the current study adopted a more comprehensive method for estimating losses. The methodology used imputed the cost of pain and suffering for each type of crime- related injury, using data on jury awards in civil cases where the medical expenses and lost wages are known. The estimated crime-related costs incurred during the period prior to treatment admission and the period after treatment discharge are significantly higher when calculated by using the proposed method compared to methods that consider only tangible costs. Furthermore, a simple benefit-cost comparison of criminal activity outcomes shows that drug abuse treatment has the potential to return net benefits to society through crime reduction. Although the treatment outcomes were not based on an experimental design, this study presents quantitative evidence that including victims' intangible losses can substantially raise the estimated dollar benefits of avoided criminal activity due to drug abuse interventions. 7 tables and 103 references