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Economic Freedom and Recidivism: Evidence from US States

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  • Joshua Hall
  • Kaitlyn Harger
  • Dean Stansel

Abstract

This paper provides an exploratory analysis into factors contributing to differences across states in recidivism rates. We provide the first such examination that incorporates differences in economic freedom. Using a panel data set from 1998 to 2010, we find that higher levels of economic freedom within a state are associated with lower recidivism rates within that state. A one percent increase in state economic freedom is associated with a 0.47 % decrease in parolee recidivism. The relationship is stronger and more statistically significant for labor market freedom, with a one percent increase in labor market freedom being associated with a 0.67 % decline in recidivism. Copyright International Atlantic Economic Society 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Joshua Hall & Kaitlyn Harger & Dean Stansel, 2015. "Economic Freedom and Recidivism: Evidence from US States," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 21(2), pages 155-165, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:iaecre:v:21:y:2015:i:2:p:155-165:10.1007/s11294-015-9520-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11294-015-9520-5
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    1. Stephan F. Gohmann & Bradley K. Hobbs & Myra McCrickard, 2008. "Economic Freedom and Service Industry Growth in the United States," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(5), pages 855-874, September.
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    9. Maurin, Eric & Ouss, Aurelie, 2009. "Sentence Reductions and Recidivism: Lessons from the Bastille Day Quasi Experiment," IZA Discussion Papers 3990, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
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    11. Richard J. Cebula & Gigi Alexander, 2015. "An exploratory empirical note on the impact of labour market freedom on the female labour force participation rate in the US," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(8), pages 632-636, May.
    12. Jesse M. Shapiro, 2007. "Do Harsher Prison Conditions Reduce Recidivism? A Discontinuity-based Approach," American Law and Economics Review, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(1), pages 1-29.
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    Cited by:

    1. Joshua C. Hall & Donald J. Lacombe & Timothy M. Shaughnessy, 2015. "Economic Freedom and Economic Growth Across U.S. States: A Spatial Panel Data Analysis," Working Papers 15-33, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    2. Claudio Detotto & Bryan C. McCannon, 2017. "Economic freedom and public, non-market institutions: evidence from criminal prosecution," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 107-128, May.
    3. Joshua C. Hall, 2017. "A "Model" Model: McCloskey and the Craft of Economics," Working Papers 17-09, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Recidivism; Institutions; Prison; Parole; D02; K14; K42; Z13;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • K14 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Criminal Law
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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