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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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal: Meyer, Peter B. (Autor)
Otros Autores: Hopkins, Shawna Adkins
Tipo de documento: Electrónico Artículo
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 1991
En: American journal of criminal justice
Año: 1991, Volumen: 15, Número: 2, Páginas: 106-133
Acceso en línea: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Palabras clave:
Crime Prevention
Incarceration Rate
Crime Rate
Social Cost
Justice System
Descripción
Sumario: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