NCJ Number
39431
Journal
Journal of Legal Studies Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1976) Pages: 463-478
Date Published
1976
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THE IMPLICATIONS OF HANDGUN AVAILABILITY ARE INVESTIGATED IN A SOCIAL COST MINIMIZATION FRAMEWORK THAT ALLOWS FOR COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF HANDGUN AVAILABILITY AND POLICE MANPOWER ALLOCATION ON CONTROL OF HOMICIDE.
Abstract
IN THE MODEL DEVELOPED HERE, THE OBJECTIVE FUNCTION IS THE MINIMIZATION OF THE SUM OF THE LOSSES TO CRIME AND THE COSTS OF CONTROL. THE CONSTRAINTS ARE THE RESOURCES BUDGETED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE BEHAVIORAL RELATIONS SPECIFYING CRIME GENERATION AND CRIME CONTROL, WHICH INCORPORATE THE SIMULTANEOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME RATES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFECTIVENESS. THE FIRST-ORDER CONDITIONS ARE USED TO DETERMINE THE ALLOCATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESOURCES TO THE CONTROL OF HOMICIDE AND THE OTHER INDEX FELONY CRIMES, SUCH ALLOCATION INFORMATION BEING UNAVAILABLE FROM THE DATA. THE CRIME CONTROL AND CRIME GENERATION EQUATIONS FOR HOMICIDE, DERIVED FROM THIS MODEL, ARE ESTIMATED USING TWO-STAGE LEAST SQUARES. THE MODEL DEMONSTRATES THAT A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO THE ANALYSIS OF HOMICIDE EQUALLY WELL EXPLAINS BOTH THE LEVEL OF OFFENSES AND THE DEGREE OF POLICE EFFECTIVENESS. THE AUTHORS SHOW THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF DETERRENCE EFFECTS, GUN DENSITY AND THE DEPENDENCE OF POLICE EFFECTIVENESS FOR HOMICIDE UPON THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES BETWEEN CRIMES. BEYOND THIS, IT IS FOUND THAT THE SOCIAL COST MINIMIZATION APPROACH PERMITS THE DERIVATION OF IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS IN REGARD TO THE ALLOCATION OF POLICE MANPOWER AMONG THE VARIOUS FELONY CRIMES. THE AUTHORS ARGUE THAT, FOR POLICY PURPOSES, IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO DEMONSTRATE THAT CRIME IS DETERRABLE. ONE NEEDS TO KNOW WHETHER RESOURCES CAN BE ALLOCATED, AND IN WHAT QUANTITY TO STRENGTHEN DETERRENCE AND CONTROL CRIME. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)....DMC