This essay compares two alternative economic theories of crime, due to Becker (1968) and Adelstein (2017), which differ with respect to the purpose of punishment. Both models are based on the idea of rational offenders and punishments as prices, but they part company with respect to how the level of punishment is, or should be, determined. Whereas Becker’s approach is based on the normative goal of welfare maximization and optimal deterrence, Adelstein’s model emphasizes that the system actually pursues corrective justice in individual cases. This essay explicates these different perspectives and explores their implications for social welfare.

中文翻译：

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犯罪作为交流：比较刑事司法的其他经济理论

本文比较了贝克尔（1968）和阿德尔斯坦（2017）提出的两种替代犯罪经济理论，它们在惩罚目的上有所不同。两种模型都基于理性的违法者和作为价格的惩罚的思想，但是它们在如何确定惩罚水平或应该确定惩罚的水平方面是分不开的。贝克尔的方法基于福利最大化和最优威慑的规范目标，而阿德尔斯坦的模型则强调该系统实际上是在个别情况下追求矫正正义。本文阐述了这些不同的观点，并探讨了它们对社会福利的影响。