PUBPOL 3600

Economics of Crime

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

This course surveys topics in crime and crime prevention, with a focus on thinking critically about empirical evidence. The first part of the course briefly introduces an economic model of crime and reviews relevant empirical methods. The remainder of the course is spent discussing a range of crime-related topics, including policing, incarceration, employment, drugs & alcohol, firearms, education, and health. Students will consider trade-offs to different crime prevention policies and gain experience framing and summarizing evidence for policymakers.

Prerequisites PUBPOL 2000 and PUBPOL 3100 or equivalent courses in the Economics Department.

Distribution Requirements (SBA-AG), (SBA-HE), (OCE-IL, QP-IL)

Last 4 Terms Offered 2023FA, 2022FA, 2021FA, 2020FA

Learning Outcomes

• Critically read and evaluate empirical research and claims related to crime.
• Recognize and assess trade-offs in crime policy.
• Apply a theoretical economic framework to understand the levers affecting a person's propensity to engage in crime.

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