The study of crime and its various components have always been treated as the interdisciplinary studies. Though its predominance is highly concentrated among criminologists and sociologists, but even psychologists and political scientists have been actively involved in various aspects of crime. However, Economists are considered as the novice entrants. It was only after the work of Gary Backer in 1968 that started the post modern economists’ work on crime and criminal justice. Since then it has generated a growing flurry of articles on crime from the various economic perspectives.
However, the classical approach to crime was given by Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham in late 1700s. They borrowed the concepts of free will to make any choices that enables them to pursue their interests and applied it in the realm of crime. They argued that people freely choose to offend. According to the classical approach, people’s decisions to offend are usually guided …show more content…
They only commit crime when the expected gains exceed the expected costs, or else they refrain themselves from all such criminal activities. Becker’s theory incorporates the existence of criminal justice system as part of their expected costs to be borne and police influence as the probability of punishment and fines representing the criminal sanction. Hence, Becker believed that the probability of getting caught has more deterrent effect on criminals than the term of punishment. Criminals act as rational, purposive actors who try to maximize their utility within the constraints. It is one of most profound but simple insights given by Becker.
This idea of crime and criminal acts is what we know as ‘Neoclassical or Economic approach’ to crime today. As mentioned above, people choose criminal over non-criminal alternatives in the same way as they choose some economic activities over other in the market
However, the classical approach to crime was given by Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham in late 1700s. They borrowed the concepts of free will to make any choices that enables them to pursue their interests and applied it in the realm of crime. They argued that people freely choose to offend. According to the classical approach, people’s decisions to offend are usually guided …show more content…
They only commit crime when the expected gains exceed the expected costs, or else they refrain themselves from all such criminal activities. Becker’s theory incorporates the existence of criminal justice system as part of their expected costs to be borne and police influence as the probability of punishment and fines representing the criminal sanction. Hence, Becker believed that the probability of getting caught has more deterrent effect on criminals than the term of punishment. Criminals act as rational, purposive actors who try to maximize their utility within the constraints. It is one of most profound but simple insights given by Becker.
This idea of crime and criminal acts is what we know as ‘Neoclassical or Economic approach’ to crime today. As mentioned above, people choose criminal over non-criminal alternatives in the same way as they choose some economic activities over other in the market