wp2009/3

Thomas Blondiau, Estimation of fine determinants for administrative sanctions, Lawforce working paper 2009/3

This paper empirically analyzes the drivers of the decision whether to impose a fine or not, and of the decision on the fine level in the administrative sanctioning track for environmental violations. The data are a set of cases handled at the Brussels environmental enforcement institute (IBGE-BIM) in the period 2004-2006. The author uses a twostep estimation procedure, the Heckit estimator, to account for incidental truncation of fines. He identifies a set of relationships and finds logical explanations for these effects.
Full paper here