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The White/Black Educational Gap, Stalled Progress, and the Long-Term Consequences of the Emergence of Crack Cocaine Markets

Author

Listed:
  • William N. Evans

    (University of Notre Dame and NBER)

  • Craig Garthwaite

    (Northwestern University and NBER)

  • Timothy J. Moore

    (University of Melbourne and NBER)

Abstract

We propose the rise of crack cocaine markets as a key explanation for the end to the convergence in black-white educational outcomes in the United States that began in the mid-1980s. After constructing a measure to date the arrival of crack markets in cities and states, we show that the decline in educational outcomes for black males begins with the start of the crack epidemic. We also show that there are higher murder and incarceration rates after the arrival of crack cocaine and that these are predictive of lower black high school completion rates, a result consistent with human capital theory. We estimate that effects related to crack markets can account for approximately 40% to 70% of the fall in black male high school completion rates.

Suggested Citation

  • William N. Evans & Craig Garthwaite & Timothy J. Moore, 2016. "The White/Black Educational Gap, Stalled Progress, and the Long-Term Consequences of the Emergence of Crack Cocaine Markets," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 98(5), pages 832-847, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:98:y:2016:i:5:p:832-847
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    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. The causes of the black-white education gap
      by nawmsayn in ZeeConomics on 2014-11-02 15:18:00

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    Cited by:

    1. repec:uab:wprdea:wpdea1410 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Tolani Britton, 2022. "Does Locked Up Mean Locked Out? The Effects of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 on Black Male Students’ College Enrollment," Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 54-71, March.
    3. Roxana Gutierrez-Romero & Monica Oviedo Leon, 2014. "The good, the bad and the ugly: The socio-economic impact of drug cartels and their violence in Mexico," Working Papers wpdea1407, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    4. Flamini, Alessandro & Jahanshahi, Babak & Mohaddes, Kamiar, 2021. "Illegal drugs and public corruption: Crack based evidence from California," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    5. Iva Trako & Maria Micaela Sviatschi & Guadalupe Kavanaugh, 2018. "Access to Justice, Gender Violence and Children: Evidence from Women’s Justice Centers in Peru," Working Papers 2018-03, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Research Program in Development Studies..
    6. Daniel L. Millimet & Travis Whitacre, 2025. "Partisan mortality cycles," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 38(4), pages 1-49, December.
    7. Kasey S. Buckles & Daniel M. Hungerman, 2018. "The Incidental Fertility Effects of School Condom Distribution Programs," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(3), pages 464-492, June.
    8. Billy, Alexander & Packard, Michael, 2022. "Crime and the Mariel Boatlift," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    9. Nora E. Gordon, 2013. "High School Graduation in the Context of Changing Elementary and Secondary Education Policy and Income Inequality: The Last Half Century," NBER Working Papers 19049, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Maria Micaela Sviatschi, 2019. "Making a Narco: Childhood Exposure to Illegal Labor Markets and Criminal Life Paths," Working Papers 2019-28, Princeton University. Economics Department..
    11. Richard J. Murnane, 2013. "U.S. High School Graduation Rates: Patterns and Explanations," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 51(2), pages 370-422, June.
    12. Bryan A. Stuart & Evan J. Taylor, 2021. "The Effect of Social Connectedness on Crime: Evidence from the Great Migration," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 103(1), pages 18-33, March.
    13. Wm. Alan Bartley & Geoffrey Fain Williams, 2022. "The role of gun supply in 1980s and 1990s youth violence," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 40(2), pages 323-348, April.
    14. Maria Micaela Sviatschi, 2018. "Making a Narco: Childhood Exposure to Illegal Labor Markets and Criminal Life Paths," Working Papers sviatschi_making-a-narco_, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Research Program in Development Studies..
    15. Jennifer Hunt, 2017. "The Impact of Immigration on the Educational Attainment of Natives," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 52(4), pages 1060-1118.
    16. Evans, William N. & Garthwaite, Craig & Moore, Timothy J., 2022. "Guns and violence: The enduring impact of crack cocaine markets on young black males," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    17. Evans, William N. & Kotowski, Maciej H., 2024. "The demand for protection and the persistently high rates of gun violence among young black males," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    18. Bondurant, Samuel R. & Lindo, Jason M. & Swensen, Isaac D., 2018. "Substance abuse treatment centers and local crime," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 124-133.
    19. Vlaicu, Razvan & Whalley, Alexander, 2016. "Hierarchical accountability in government," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 85-99.
    20. Sharkey, Patrick & Torrats-Espinosa, Gerard, 2017. "The effect of violent crime on economic mobility," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 22-33.
    21. Nora Gordon, 2014. "Explaining Trends in High School Graduation: The Changing Elementary and Secondary Education Policy Landscape and Income Inequality over the Last Half Century," NBER Chapters, in: Human Capital in History: The American Record, pages 59-89, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I0 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J0 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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