Mocan studies reality—not popularity—in economics
When it comes to the economic impact of social issues, Naci Mocan’s research cuts through myth to get to the meat of the matter. Mocan, professor of economics, uses cutting-edge techniques to find the best route to take, as opposed to the easiest or most popular. Most recently, Mocan has focused on the economic analysis of law and, in particular, crime and punishment. For his thoughtful and socially beneficial research, Mocan was chosen the 2006 Excellence in Research and Creative Activities award recipient for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
“The economic analysis of law has had a profound influence on legal theory and practice,” writes Steven Medema, professor of economics. “Many of the theoretical conclusions have challenged conventional legal thinking . . . . Professor Mocan has been a major player in this empirical literature.”
Since 2003, Mocan has published eight refereed journal articles in such top-tier scholarly publications as the Journal of Law and Economics, the Journal of Legal Studies and the American Law and Economics Review. He has been published in the two top general journals in economics: Review of Economics and Statistics and Economica. He also has published two book chapters on his research.
A member of the downtown faculty since 1990, Mocan served as chair of the department from 2001 to 2004. After deciding to refocus on his research, he has consistently provided valuable insights into the area of crime deterrent in absolute and relative terms.
Steven Beckman, current chair of the Department of Economics, notes Mocan’s article “Who Shall Live and Who Shall Die,” published as the lead article of the Journal of Legal Studies, is a strong example of the relevance of Mocan’s research. “This paper focuses on [criminals] already condemned to death and examines whether the sentence is carried out. This is important and interesting work that fully deserves the high level of attention it is attracting,” Beckman stresses.
Medema adds, “This line of research is both academically important and socially relevant, which is exactly what we promote as an urban research university.”