Making economically sound confinement decisions: A response to the zedlewski thesis

This paper examines the economic costs and benefits of incarceration of criminals, elaborating upon and correcting flaws in Zedlewski’s 1987 claims that incarceration is a cost-minimizing crime prevention strategy. We use Bureau of Justice Statistics data to demonstrate gross errors in Zedlewski’s c...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Meyer, Peter B. (Author)
Contributors: Hopkins, Shawna Adkins
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 1991
In: American journal of criminal justice
Year: 1991, Volume: 15, Issue: 2, Pages: 106-133
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Keywords:
Crime Prevention
Incarceration Rate
Crime Rate
Social Cost
Justice System
Description
Summary:This paper examines the economic costs and benefits of incarceration of criminals, elaborating upon and correcting flaws in Zedlewski’s 1987 claims that incarceration is a cost-minimizing crime prevention strategy. We use Bureau of Justice Statistics data to demonstrate gross errors in Zedlewski’s crude estimates. We find that the costs of incarceration are more than double the benefits in costs of crime avoided. We conclude that the cost-saving incapacitation effects of incarceration do not warrant either the current levels of imprisonment or any future increases.
ISSN:1936-1351
DOI:10.1007/BF02885622