Fighting Crime in the Cradle: The Effects of Early Childhood Access to Nutritional Assistance

Andrew Barr and Alexander A. Smith

Journal of Human Resources, 2023, vol. 58, issue 1, 43-73

Abstract: Using variation in the rollout of the Food Stamp Program (FSP), combined with criminal conviction data from North Carolina, we find that FSP availability in early childhood leads to large reductions in later criminal behavior Each additional year of FSP availability in early childhood reduces the likelihood of a criminal conviction in young adulthood by 2.5 percent, with stronger effects for violent and felony convictions. These effects are substantially larger for nonwhites, consistent with their higher levels of FSP participation. The discounted social benefits from the FSP’s later crime reduction exceed the costs of the program over this time period.

JEL-codes: H23 H53 I30 I38 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
Note: DOI: 10.3368/jhr.58.3.0619-10276R2
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:58:y:2023:i:1:p:43-73

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