An economic perspective on crime, its costs, crime fighting and rehabilitation efforts

2010

This study will examine the economic issues surrounding crime and reintegration measures aimed at prisoners, particularly but not exclusively in Germany. To do so it will be necessary to give an overview about the crime and crime-fighting situation in Germany. The focus is on violent and street crime. White collar crime will be mentioned only briefly. The starting point will be to examine the cost of crime and the problems concerning its measurement. These include for example the economic costs of murder or the largely ignored cost of rehabilitating the victims of crimes such as rape. They often suffer from severe trauma. Further it will prove necessary to add the indirect, immaterial costs…