The police take the two individuals in and separate them, not allowing them to communicate. Each is told something like this: We can hold you until trial and we can make sure bail is set so high you won't get out in the meantime. Trial will be in 6 months. However, if you confess and agree to testify against the other person we arrested we will drop charges and you may leave tonight, the other person will get 10 years in prison without parole. We're telling the other person this too. If you both confess however we will recommend leniency so you'll only do 3 years but we only drop the charges if you are the only one to confess. If neither of you confesses we will drop the charges at the time of the trial so you will still spend 6 months locked up. What does the payoff matrix for this game look like?

Copyright © 1995-2004 OnLineTexts.com, Inc. - All Rights Reserved