Do Changes in Codes of Criminal Procedure Reduce Crime? Evaluating Impact with Difference-in-Differences Matching

• In Event: Courtroom Policies and Practices

Abstract

Fast-track procedures for judicial processes are supposed to deter crime. Since 2006, Peru progressively implemented an even more comprehensive reform: a new Code of Criminal Procedure (NCCP), as other Latin-American countries previously did. The aim was to reduce judicial delay, produce more sentences, and ultimately reduce crime. This research focuses on Peru and is the first impact evaluation of NCCP on crime in the Latin-American region. We implemented a difference-in-difference matching (Heckman et al, 1997) for repeated cross-sectional data (2010-2014). Outcome variables include 10 victimization variables and their respective perceived risk of crime (PRC) variables. Results show that NCCP has a low middle-term impact (2 years) on only 2 crimes. In the long-term (4 years), the NCCP produced the opposite of what was expected: 6 types of robberies rose (0.3%-2.20%). Intimate partner violence was not affected. On the other hand, the NCCP reduced almost all PRC variables in the middle- and long-term. These results suggest that while NCCP changes the costs of committing crimes in the middle-term, in the long-term the problems during its implementation (delay, lack of training in judges, low budget, etc.) undermined its potential deterrence and encouraged delinquents to adapt their expectations, hence augmenting crime.

Author

• Wilson Hernandez, University of Lima