Re-defining Rationality: An Analysis of Criminal Behavior

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dc.contributor.advisorAimone, Jason
dc.contributor.authorFeragen, Nicole
dc.contributor.departmentEconomics.en_US
dc.contributor.otherBaylor University.en_US
dc.contributor.schoolsHonors College.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-09T17:59:54Z
dc.date.available2016-08-09T17:59:54Z
dc.date.copyright2016
dc.date.issued2016-08-09
dc.description.abstractAt the core of economics is the idea that humans behave rationally and will maximize their own utility in any given situation. Illegal behavior, then, can be hard to explain; a criminal must reason that breaking the law is worth the potential benefit their action could bring. Traditional studies examining the motivations behind crime have been divided, with economic theory on one side and sociological, biological or psychological theory on the other. Only recently have researchers considered variables from both of these categories simultaneously in crime modeling. This thesis treats the combined model of Peter-Jan Engelen, Michel W. Lander, and Marc van Essen in "What determines crime rates? An empirical test of integrated economic and sociological theories of criminal behavior" as a basis for an exploring what factors determine crime rates, and expands upon it through the addition of five novel predictors. County-level panel data testing from North Carolina finds that previously unconsidered factors correlate to violent and property crime in the state. These results are then discussed in a legal context, with deterrence methods as well as the effectiveness of current sentencing and rehabilitation practices in mind.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2104/9700
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.rightsBaylor University projects are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.en_US
dc.rights.accessrightsWorldwide accessen_US
dc.subjectEconomics.en_US
dc.subjectLaw.en_US
dc.titleRe-defining Rationality: An Analysis of Criminal Behavioren_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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