I am a public economist focused on crime. I am interested in how microeconomics can provide insight into the choices of participants in criminal markets. I am keen in both because I believe criminal markets are attractive to economics. After all, they operate without legal contract enforcement and because these studies can lead to better public policies to address crime. More importantly, I firmly believe that other than punishing criminals and deterring them, there are other plausible alternatives to reduce crime. In particular, the rehabilitation and reforming of current criminals require understanding their motivations to participate in these markets.

My research is Singapore-focused, and I have built a series of work focusing on the underground economy in Singapore, which mainly spans the commercial sex market, unlicensed money lending market, and illicit drug market gangs. In addition, I am currently working with Singapore Prison Services to develop an incentive scheme to help reduce the offense rate inside the youth prisons. Because we can access these data in Singapore, it is an ideal country for us to study. Finally, Singapore's adherence to the rule of law and intolerance towards crime makes it an ideal country to study because I do not have to worry about corruption when studying enforcement's effects on any illegal market.

  Curriculum Vitae

  kleong@ntu.edu.sg

  48 Nanyang Ave, Singapore 639818