Homicides and the age of criminal responsibility: a density discontinuity approach

Costa, Francisco J. M., de Faria, João S., Iachan, Felipe S. and Caballero, Bárbara (2018) Homicides and the age of criminal responsibility: a density discontinuity approach. Economía, 19 (1). 59 - 92. ISSN 1529-7470

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Abstract

We employ a density discontinuity design to evaluate the deterrence effect of more severe punishments around the legal age of criminal responsibility in Brazil. Motivated by the criminology literature, we propose a novel proxy based on the inherent risk underlying criminal activities. Using violent death rates as a proxy for an individual’s involvement in violent crime, we find no discernible deterrence effects. We additionally study arrest data from the country’s third most populous state, Rio de Janeiro, and discuss the advantages of our proxy in light of potential underreporting biases from using criminal records.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://economia.lse.ac.uk/
Additional Information:	© 2018 LACTEA
Divisions:	LSE
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology
JEL classification:	J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J18 - Public Policy J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J2 - Time Allocation, Work Behavior, and Employment Determination and Creation; Human Capital; Retirement > J22 - Time Allocation and Labor Supply K - Law and Economics > K1 - Basic Areas of Law > K14 - Criminal Law K - Law and Economics > K4 - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior > K42 - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law O - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O12 - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
Date Deposited:	09 Jul 2024 14:30
Last Modified:	14 Sep 2024 10:00
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/123053

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