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Source: CELS - Conference on Empirical Legal Studies
Resulting in 1 citation.
1. Hjalmarsson, Randi
Crime and Expected Punishment: Changes in Perceptions at the Age of Criminal Majority
Presented: New York, NY, New York University, Conference on Empirical Legal Studies 2nd Annual, November 9-10, 2007.
Also: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1002390
Cohort(s): NLSY97
Publisher: Society for Empirical Legal Studies (SELS)
Keyword(s): Age and Ageing; Incarceration/Jail; Punishment, Criminal; Sex Education

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

This paper utilizes an inherent 'policy' change that exists in the U.S. justice system to assess whether changes in subjective expectations correspond to changes in objective measures. Specifically, I assess whether perceived punishment severity changes discontinuously when an individual becomes an adult in the eyes of the courts. At this age, I find that the perceived chance of jail increases by 4.5 to 6.0 percentage points, over and above the general effect of ageing. Relative to objective measures, individuals greatly overestimate the chance of jail but underestimate the change in the chance of jail at the age of majority.
Bibliography Citation
Hjalmarsson, Randi. "Crime and Expected Punishment: Changes in Perceptions at the Age of Criminal Majority." Presented: New York, NY, New York University, Conference on Empirical Legal Studies 2nd Annual, November 9-10, 2007.