This website uses cookies.

By clicking the "Accept" button or continuing to browse our site, you agree to first-party and session-only cookies being stored on your device to enhance site navigation and analyze site performance and traffic. For more information on our use of cookies, please see our Privacy Policy.

Juvenile Crime and Anticipated Punishment

  • Ashna Arora
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
vol. 15, no. 4, November 2023
(pp. 522-50)
Download Full Text PDF

Abstract

Can sanctions deter juvenile crime? Research indicates that they may not, as offending barely decreases when individuals cross the age of criminal majority and begin to face harsher sanctions. Several models of criminal behavior predict, however, that these small reactions close to the threshold may mask larger behavioral responses among individuals below the age threshold. Policy variation between 2007–2015 in the United States is used to show evidence consistent with these predictions—juvenile crime increases when the age of majority is increased. This increase is driven by younger age groups and is considerably larger than discontinuity estimates at the threshold.

Citation

Arora, Ashna. 2023. "Juvenile Crime and Anticipated Punishment." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 15 (4): 522-50. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20210530

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • D91 Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
  • J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
  • K42 Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
There are no comments for this article.
Login to Comment