The aim of this course is to connect students with the salient contributions made by modern economists into understanding crime and its consequences and system responses to crime by criminal justice agencies. Three important areas are reviewed; (1) economic theory employed by economists in researching economic crime, (2) specialised techniques used by economists, and (3) areas of substantive expertise where economists contribute to scholarship and policy development.
The course begins by introducing the fundamentals of the economics of crime and enforcement. The market for crimes is then introduced alongside other economic theories and methods used to research crime. The theories and methods provide the necessary framework for investigating topics such as the economics of juvenile crime, the economics of neighbourhood gangs, guns and crime, and drugs and crime.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon Successful completion of this course, students will be able to:- Critique the salient theories employed by economists in researching crime and responses by the criminal justice system;
- Explain how specialised economic theory and techniques used to study crime and the criminal justice system can be applied to improve policy decisions;
- Apply theory, case study, history and data developed by
economists to analyse crime and its consequences;
- Evaluate how economic analysis has been useful in illuminating salient issues of interest to criminologists.
Indicative Assessment
Critical analysis of aggregate and market forces model of crime 30% (1500 word essay) - LO1,3
Mid-semester exam, scheduled in the mid-semester examination period (multiple choice and short answer - 1.5 hours) 30% - LO1-3.
End of semester exam, scheduled in the final examination period (multiple choice, short answer and short essay - 2 hours) 40% LO 1-4
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
A 2 hour lecture and 1 hour tutorial per week for 13 weeks. Students are expected to undertake a further 7 hours of self-directed study per week over the semester (total 130 hours).
Prescribed Texts
Yezer, A. (2014). Economics of Crime and Enforcement. New York: M.E Sharpe.Preliminary Reading
Indicative additional readings include:
Becker, G. S. (1968). Crime and Punishment: An economic approach. The Journal of Political Economy, 76(2): 169-217.
Becker, G.S., Murphy, K., Grossman, M. (2006). The market for illegal goods: The case of drugs. Journal of Political Economy, 114(1): 38-60.
Cohen, M. (2000). Measuring the costs and benefits of crime and justice Measurement and analysis of crime and justice (pp. 263-316): National Institute of Justice.
Cook, P. J. (1986). The demand and supply of criminal opportunities. Crime and Justice, 7(1): 1-27.
Cook, P. J. (1980). Research in criminal deterrence: Laying the groundwork for the second decade. Crime and Justice, 2: 211-268.
Cook, P.J., Ludwig, J., Venkatesh, S., Braga, A. (2007). Underground gun markets. Economic Journal, 117 (534): 588-618.
Ehrlich, I. (1996). Crime, punishment, and the market for offences. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 10(1), 43-67.
Nagin, D., & Pogarsky, G. (2003). An experimental investigation of deterrence: Cheating, self-serving bias, and impulsivity. Criminology, 41(1), 167-194.
Reuter, P., & Kleiman, M. (1986). Risks and prices: An economic analysis of drug enforcement. Crime and Justice: A Review of Research, 7, 289-340.
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $2604 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $3576 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3689 | 20 Jul 2015 | 07 Aug 2015 | 31 Aug 2015 | 30 Oct 2015 | In Person | N/A |
