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The deterrent effect of urban police services: Further results

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Abstract

A model of the crime deterrence process is formulated based on the assumption that the objective of the police in allocating resources among various programs is to minimize the social losses from crime. The independent deterrent effects of two such programs, patrol and investigation, are analyzed using linear regression analysis and employing data, from police departments in the Los Angeles region. The results support the hypothesized deterrence process and show that, while separate deterrent effects are important, extensive complementarity also exists between patrol and investigation. In addition, it is found that the most cost-effective law enforcement policies for curbing urban crime are those that merely redeploy existing police resources but that social policies, especially those aimed at reducing poverty, are also important alternatives.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. San Jose State University, California, USA

    Stephen L. Mehay (Assistant Professor of Economics)

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  1. Stephen L. Mehay
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Mehay, S.L. The deterrent effect of urban police services: Further results. Ann Reg Sci 13, 66–77 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01284080

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