Math Modeling Seminar: A Political-Economy Perspective on Mayoral Elections and Urban Crime

Event Image
math modeling seminar amitrajeet

Math Modeling Seminar
A Political-Economy Perspective on Mayoral Elections and Urban Crime

Dr. Amitrajeet Batabyal
Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics
Department of Economics, RIT

You may attend this lecture in person at 2305 Gosnell Hall or virtually via Zoom.
If you’d like to attend virtually, you may register here for Zoom link.

Abstract
:

Abstract: We provide a political-economy analysis of crime prevention in an arbitrary city in the United States. City residents (voters) elect mayors (politicians) and elected mayors determine the resources to be allocated to crime prevention. Between the two time periods, there is an election. Politicians are either honest or dishonest. The marginal cost of public monies 𝜓 measures how efficiently an elected mayor converts tax receipts into crime prevention. Voters have identical per period utility functions. We ascertain the equilibrium outcome and per period voter well-being. Second, we show that an increase in 𝜓 reduces the equilibrium allocation of resources to crime prevention and voter well-being. Third, a dishonest politician can delay the revelation of his dishonesty. A critical value of 𝜓, 𝜓∗, exists such that a dishonest incumbent separates and loses the election if and only if 𝜓 > 𝜓∗ and he pools and is re-elected otherwise. Finally, we note that an increase in 𝜓 can raise voter well-being when politicians are more likely to be dishonest.

Speaker Bio:
Dr. Amit Batabyal is Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). He obtained a B.S. with Honors and Distinction in Applied Economics and Business Management from Cornell University in 1987, a M.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota in 1990, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1994. He uses microeconomic theory and mathematical techniques to model and better understand problems in natural resource, environmental, and regional economics. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Geoffrey J. D. Hewings Award from the North American Regional Science Council in 2003, the Moss Madden Memorial Medal from the British and Irish Section of the Regional Science Association International in 2004, the Outstanding Achievement in Research Award from the Society for Range Management in 2006, the Trustees Scholarship Award from the RIT Board of Trustees in 2007, and the Mattei Dogan Foundation Prize from the International Social Science Council in 2013. He is an Honorary Member of the Regional Science Association International’s Japan Section and a Fellow of the Regional Studies Association and Regional Science Association International. Read more here.

Intended Audience:
Undergraduates, graduates, and experts. Those with interest in the topic.

The Math Modeling Seminar will recur each week throughout the semester on the same day and time. Find out more about upcoming speakers on the Mathematical Modeling Seminar Series webpage.
To request an interpreter, please visit myaccess.rit.edu


Contact
Nathan Cahill
Event Snapshot
When and Where
January 25, 2022
2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
Room/Location: See Zoom Registration Link
Who

Open to the Public

Interpreter Requested?

No

Topics
faculty
research