The Intergenerational Health Effects of Forced Displacement: Japanese American Incarceration during WWII

Daniel Grossman, Umair Khalil and Laura Panza

Journal of Public Economics, 2025, vol. 242, issue C

Abstract: We study the intergenerational health consequences of forced displacement and incarceration of Japanese Americans in the US during WWII. Incarcerated mothers had babies who were less healthy at birth. This decrease in health represents a shift in the entire birthweight distribution due to exposure to prison camps. Imprisoned individuals were less likely to have children with fathers of other ethnic groups but were more likely to invest in education, and participate in the labor market. Despite these positive human capital effects, overall we find a negative effect of incarceration on intergenerational health.

Keywords: Carceral health effects; Forced migration; Birth outcomes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I14 I18 I38 J13 J18 J68 N32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Working Paper: The Intergenerational Health Effects of Forced Displacement: Japanese American Incarceration during WWII (2023)
Working Paper: The Intergenerational Health Effects of Forced Displacement: Japanese American Incarceration during WWII (2023)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:242:y:2025:i:c:s0047272725000064

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2025.105308

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