NCJ Number
20661
Journal
CRIMINOLOGICO Issue: 1 Dated: (1973) Pages: 125-138
Date Published
1973
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES THE DEGREE TO WHICH ECONOMIC LEVELS ARE A FACTOR IN THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR'S ANALYSIS IS IN THREE PARTS. THE FIRST IS AN HISTORICAL REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE, PARTICULARLY THAT WHICH DEVELOPED IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, ON THE SUBJECT. THE SECOND IS A REVIEW OF A NUMBER OF CURRENT STUDIES WHICH TEND TO EMPHASIZE THE USE OF BENEFIT-COST ANALYSES. THE THIRD IS AN EXAMINATION OF THE COST OF CRIME IN NATIONAL ECONOMIES. THE AUTHOR NOTES THAT SUCH ANALYSES NORMALLY TAKE ACCOUNT OF 'TRADITIONAL' CRIMES AND IGNORES THE COST OF SUCH FORMS OF DELINQUENCY AS CORRUPTION AND WHITE COLLAR CRIME. SHE LISTS THREE MEASURES OF CRIME COSTS, INCLUDING PUBLIC COSTS (COST OF ADMINISTERING THE LAW AND TREATING OFFENDERS), ECONOMIC COST (DAMAGE OR DESTRUCTION TO PERSONS OR THINGS AS A RESULT OF CRIME), AND TRANSFER COSTS (ECONOMIC LOSS TO THE VICTIM). SHE CONCLUDES THE POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ECONOMICS AND CRIME ARE DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH ALTHOUGH AMONG THE POOR THERE MAY BE A RELATIONSHIP THAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO EXIST AT OTHER ECONOMIC LEVELS. --IN SPANISH