The Economics of Crime

About

Crime imposes substantial social and economic costs, and designing effective crime-reduction policies requires a deep understanding of the mechanisms that drive criminal behaviour and how institutions respond.

This intensive summer school brings together leading international scholars in the economics of crime to introduce participants to cutting-edge empirical research on human capital and crime, discrimination in labour markets and the criminal legal system, policing and incarceration, organised crime and immigration, and the consequences of victimisation. Through lectures, hands-on workshops, and critical discussion of frontier studies, students will gain both theoretical insights and practical methodological tools for independent research in this rapidly expanding field

Course leader

Prof. Dr. Olivier Marie (Erasmus University Rotterdam), Dr. Nadine Ketel (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Dr. Amanda Agan (Cornell University), Prof. Dr. Giovanni Mastrobuonni (University of Turin and Collegio Carlo Alberto), and Paolo Pinotti (Bocconi University)

Target group

The Summer School welcomes Master students, PhD candidates, post-doctoral researchers, as well as professionals and policymakers working in fields related to crime, inequality, and public policy. The course is interdisciplinary and open to participants from economics, sociology, criminology, public policy, law, psychology, data science, and related social sciences

Course aim

Participants will:

Understand key economic models of crime and deterrence
Evaluate the role of education, labour markets, and social policy in criminal behavior
Analyse institutional discrimination in criminal justice decisions
Assess causal evidence on policing, sentencing, incarceration and re-entry
Examine organised crime and migration patterns in international context
Study the causes and consequences of victimisation
Apply empirical techniques (DiD, RDD, audit studies, admin data) in guided workshops
Develop presentation and policy-translation skills through structured group work

Fee info

Early Bird: applications must be submitted before April 13, 2026 to avail of this discount. The course fee covers tuition, course materials, daily lunches and coffee/tea during short breaks, social event including a dinner and farewell drinks. The course fee does not include accommodation.