The Effect of Education Policy on Crime: An Intergenerational Perspective

Costas Meghir, Mårten Palme and Marieke Schnabel ()
Additional contact information
Marieke Schnabel: University College London

No 6142, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: A number of studies have shown that education reforms extending compulsory schooling reduce criminal behavior of those affected by the reform. We consider the effects of a major Swedish educational reform on crime by exploiting its staggered implementation across Sweden. We first show that the reform reduced crime rates for the generation directly affected by the reform. We then show that the benefits extended to the next generation with large reductions in the crime rates of the children of those affected. The effect operates only through the father and points in the direction of improved parenting rather than resources.

Keywords: comprehensive school; economics of crime; returns to education; returns to human capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I20 I21 I28 K42 N34 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 59 pages
Date: 2011-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-lab, nep-law and nep-ltv
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The Effect of Education Policy on Crime: An Intergenerational Perspective (2023)
Working Paper: The Effect of Education Policy on Crime: An Intergenerational Perspective (2012)
Working Paper: The effect of education policy on crime: an intergenerational perspective (2011)
Working Paper: The Effect of Education Policy on Crime: An Intergenerational Perspective (2011)
Working Paper: The effect of education policy on crime: an intergenerational perspective (2011)
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