The Effect of Employment Frictions on Crime

Bryan Engelhardt

Journal of Labor Economics, 2010, vol. 28, issue 3, 677-718

Abstract: This article provides estimates on how long it takes for released inmates to find a job and, when they find a job, how less likely they are to be incarcerated. An on-the-job search model with crime is used to model criminal behavior, derive the estimation method, and analyze policies including a job placement program. The results show that the unemployed are incarcerated twice as fast as the employed and take on average 6 months to find a job. The article demonstrates that reducing the average unemployment spell of previously incarcerated criminals by 3 months reduces crime and recidivism by more than 5%. (c) 2010 by The University of Chicago.

Date: 2010
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ucp:jlabec:v:28:y:2010:i:3:p:677-718

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