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Cost benefit analysis for crime science: making cost-benefit analysis useful through a portfolio of outcomes

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posted on 2006-06-08, 15:47 authored by Graham Farrell, Kate J. Bowers, Shane D. Johnson
Cost-benefit analysis is used increasingly in crime reduction and criminal justice evaluations yet remains a frustrating exercise that is easy to criticise and dismiss. Should the intangible costs of crime be included? Should local or national cost estimates be used? Are ‘saved’ police and criminal justice costs a benefit of prevented crime? Should anticipatory and diffused benefits plus displacement costs be included? Which benefit-cost ratios should be presented for which of a range of diverse audiences? How long does crime prevention last, and so how many years of benefit-returns should be assessed? In theory, such questions could lead to a frustratingly large, perhaps infinite, number of benefit-cost ratio outcomes. Yet most studies present a single benefit-cost ratio measure. This study proposes a limited portfolio of benefit-cost ratios to convey information to a range of audiences and promote transparency. The argument is illustrated by a case study of a burglary reduction scheme.

History

School

  • Social Sciences

Department

  • Communication, Media, Social and Policy Studies

Pages

206829 bytes

Citation

FARRELL, G., BOWERS, K.J. and JOHNSON, S.D., 2005. Cost benefit analysis for crime science: making cost-benefit analysis useful through a portfolio of outcomes. IN: Tilley and Smith (eds), Crime Science: New Approaches to Preventing and Detecting Crime. Willan Press.

Publisher

© Willan Press

Publication date

2005

ISBN

1843920891

Language

  • en