Prosecutor Quality, Witness Participation, Crime, and Reform
American Economic Journal: Microeconomics
vol. 13,
no. 4, November 2021
(pp. 64-100)
Abstract
We develop a model wherein concerns about prosecutor quality reduce the willingness of witnesses to cooperate with prosecutors. This causes an increase in the crime rate and in wrongly convicted innocent defendants. Because citizens are taxpayers and may be victims, perpetrators, witnesses, or falsely accused defendants, they care about the prosecutor's quality. They update beliefs about this quality based on the disposition of cases. If the prosecutor's believed quality falls below a threshold, then a majority of voters chooses to replace the prosecutor with a challenger, in expectation of reform. We compare the majority's choice with that of a social planner.Citation
Daughety, Andrew F., and Jennifer F. Reinganum. 2021. "Prosecutor Quality, Witness Participation, Crime, and Reform." American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, 13 (4): 64-100. DOI: 10.1257/mic.20200039Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D83 Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
- K41 Litigation Process
- K42 Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
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