Deterability by age

The most effective use of law enforcement resources for reducing crime has generated significant attention across law enforcement agencies, federal, state, and local decision-making committees as well as many academic disciplines. One of the more spirited discussions revolves around law enforcement agents targeting criminal activity based on a suspect's race and age. While racial profiling has received considerable attention, discussions about age-based patrolling and age-graded penalties have received much less attention. In the current analysis, we test the response, by age, of speeding on roadways (a crime that is often considered to be linked to age) to decreases in the probability of being apprehended. We find that all drivers appear to quasi-uniformly increase their speed in response to the reduced chance of being apprehended. Additionally, more egregious and seasoned offenders tend to be more responsive to fluctuations in law enforcement presence.