Crime and Circumstance: The Effects of Infant Health Shocks on Fathers' Criminal Activity / Hope Corman, Kelly Noonan, Nancy E. Reichman, Ofira Schwartz-Soicher.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Corman, Hope.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Noonan, Kelly.

Reichman, Nancy E.

Schwartz-Soicher, Ofira.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w12754.

NBER working paper series no. w12754

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Other Title:

Crime and Circumstance

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2006.

Summary:

Few studies in the economics literature have linked individuals' criminal behavior to changes in their personal circumstances. Life shocks, such as natural or personal disasters, could reduce or sever a person's connections to his/her family, job, or community. With fewer connections, crime may become a more attractive option. This study addresses the question of whether an exogenous shock in life circumstances affects criminal activity. Specifically, we estimate the effects of the birth of a child with a random and serious health problem (versus the birth of a healthy infant) on the likelihood that the child's father becomes or remains involved in illegal activities. Controlling for the father's pre-birth criminal activity, we find that the shock of having a child with a serious health problem increases both the father's post-birth conviction and incarceration by 1 to 8 percentage points, depending on the measure of infant health used.

Notes:

Print version record

December 2006.