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The Causal Effect of Military Conscription on Crime

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  • Randi Hjalmarsson
  • Matthew J Lindquist

Abstract

We study the causal effect of mandatory military conscription in Sweden on the criminal behaviour of men born in the 1970s. We find that military service significantly increases post-service crime (overall and across multiple crime categories) between the ages of 23 and 30. These results are driven primarily by young men who come from low socioeconomic status households and those with pre-service criminal histories, despite evidence of a contemporaneous incapacitation effect of service for the latter group. Much of this crime-inducing effect can be attributed to negative peer effects experienced during service. Worse post-service labour market outcomes may also matter.

Suggested Citation

  • Randi Hjalmarsson & Matthew J Lindquist, 2019. "The Causal Effect of Military Conscription on Crime," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 129(622), pages 2522-2562.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:129:y:2019:i:622:p:2522-2562.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/uez014
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    Cited by:

    1. Gaurav Khanna & Carlos Medina & Anant Nyshadham & Jorge Tamayo & Nicolas Torres, 2023. "Formal Employment and Organised Crime: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from Colombia," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(654), pages 2427-2448.
    2. Fize, Etienne & Louis-Sidois, Charles, 2020. "Military service and political behavior: Evidence from France," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    3. Kıbrıs, Arzu & Cesur, Resul, 2023. "Does War Foster Cooperation or Parochialism? Evidence from a Natural Experiment among Turkish Conscripts," IZA Discussion Papers 15969, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Jussi Heikkilä & Ina Laukkanen, 2022. "Gender-specific Call of Duty: A Note on the Neglect of Conscription in Gender Equality Indices," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(5), pages 603-615, July.
    5. Lindquist, Matthew J. & Zenou, Yves, 2019. "Crime and Networks: 10 Policy Lessons," IZA Discussion Papers 12534, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. John Anders & Craig Wesley Carpenter, 2021. "Run Effects of Military Service: Evidence from the 911 Attacks," Working Papers 21-36, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    7. Manuel Bagues & Christopher Roth, 2023. "Interregional Contact and the Formation of a Shared Identity," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 15(3), pages 322-350, August.
    8. Bagues, Manuel & Roth, Christopher, 2020. "Interregional Contact and National Identity," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 526, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    9. Xintong Wang & Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, 2022. "Conscription and Military Service: Do They Result in Future Violent and Nonviolent Incarcerations and Recidivism?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 57(5), pages 1715-1757.
    10. Elena Kotyrlo & Elena Varshavskaya, 2022. "Impact of the compulsory military service reform of 2007–2008 on the demand for higher education," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(4), pages 715-735, October.
    11. Bethencourt, Carlos & Kunze, Lars, 2022. "The economics of crime and socialization: The role of the family," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 579-597.
    12. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/45gqdl5l4387f9b9l12gr2g3kt is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Reizer, Balázs & Háló, Buda, 2020. "A sorkatonaság munkaerőpiaci hatásai Magyarországon [The effect of compulsory military service on wages in Hungary]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(9), pages 878-910.

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