Law & Economics Seminar

Abstract from enclosed paper by Dr. Yehonatan Givati et al.
We examine the broad consequences of the right to counsel by exploiting a legal reform in Israel that extended the right to publicly provided legal counsel to suspects in arrest proceedings. Using the staggered regional rollout of the reform, we find that the reform reduced arrest duration and the likelihood of arrestees being charged. We also find that the reform reduced the number of arrests made by the police. Lastly, we find that the reform increased crime. These findings indicate that the right to counsel improves suspects’ situation, but discourages the police from making arrests, which results in higher crime.

Yehonatan Givati studied law and economics at Hebrew University, where he earned his LL.B in 2002 and his M.A. in economics in 2005. After clerking for Justice Esther Hayut at the Israeli Supreme Court, Yehonatan pursued his graduate studies at Harvard University, where he earned his LL.M. in 2007, his S.J.D. in 2011, an M.A. in economics in 2011, and a Ph.D. in economics in 2013. During his studies Yehonatan has been awarded several prizes, including a Fulbright Fellowship, an Olin Fellowship, and a research fellowship from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. After completing two years as a Post Graduate Research Fellow in Law and Economics at NYU School of Law, Yehonatan joined the law faculty in 2012.

Download paper (PDF)

Registration:
No later than 25 February 2016 by email: seminar.jur@cbs.dk

Organized by:
CBS Law Department assistant professor Veronica Grembi

Location:
CBS, Solbjerg Plads 3, 2000 Frederiksberg, Room SP D4.39