The complementary role of distributive and criminal equity

We conduct a theoretical analysis to explore how the distribution of wealth in society impacts the social costs of crime and law enforcement. We show that a reduction in inequality reduces these costs when enforcement and nonmonetary punishment are equitable, that is, they do not discriminate among offenders based on their wealth. However, when enforcement or nonmonetary punishment is discriminatory, a reduction in inequality may increase the social costs of crime and law enforcement, in particular when it occurs among poorer individuals. Thus, there is a complementarity between equity in criminal justice and distributional equity.