On a model of crime and punishment dynamics

The purpose of this paper is to study an existing model of artificial society consisting of agents and a government interacting according to political decisions regarding economic crime punishment. This schema explores the relationship between the crimes committed and the punishment enforced to offenders, based on an apprehension/conviction probability, the size/importance of the booty and the fine involved. Our goal is to evaluate different strategies that the government can apply in order to reduce the criminal activity, considering degrees of "honesty", a possible cost for the apprehension of offenders and the probability of the latter. We extend the existing model by studying properties of these probabilities and achieve relevant conclusions from computer simulations for unbounded honesty levels, providing graphical results of crime evolution for such a society. Additional evaluations are considered regarding critical values for some of the variables, such as minimal apprehension probabilities required to avoid all crimes.