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The Impact of Juvenile Conviction on Human Capital and Labor Market Outcomes

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Abstract

This article documents the long-term relationship among juvenile conviction, occupation choices, employment, wages, and recidivism. Using data from NLSY97, we document that youths who are convicted at or before age 17 have lower full-time employment rate and lower wage growth rate even after 10 years into the labor market. Merging the NSLY97 with occupational characteristics data from O*NET, we show that youths with a juvenile conviction are less likely to be employed in occupations that have a higher on-the-job (OTJ) training requirement and these high OTJ occupations have higher wage and wage growth. The accumulated occupation-specific work experience, general experience, and education are important to explain the gaps in wage and recidivism between youths with and without a juvenile conviction. Our results highlight the important role of occupation choices as a human capital investment vehicle through which juvenile crimes have a long-term impact on wages and recidivism.

Suggested Citation

  • Limor Golan & Rong Hai & Hayley Wabiszewski, 2021. "The Impact of Juvenile Conviction on Human Capital and Labor Market Outcomes," Working Papers 2021-011, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedlwp:93277
    DOI: 10.20955/wp.2021.011
    Note: Publisher DOI: https://doi.org/10.20955/r.104.41-69
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Human Capital; On-the-job training; Juvenile Conviction; Recidivism; occupational choice; Employment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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