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Rehabilitation and social behavior: Experiments in prison

Author

Listed:
  • Tarek Jaber-Lopez

    (EconomiX - EconomiX - UPN - Université Paris Nanterre - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Loukas Balafoutas
  • Aurora Garcia-Gallego
  • Nikolaos Georgantzis

  • Evangelos Mitrokostas

Abstract

Despite the economic and social significance of crime reduction and criminals' rehabilitation, research evaluating the effects of incarceration on behavior is surprisingly scarce. We conduct an experiment with 105 prison inmates and complement it with administrative data in order to explore several aspects of their social behavior. We first perform a comprehensive analysis of behavior in three economic games, finding evidence of discrimination against a sample from outside prison. In addition, our regression analysis reveals that inmates generally become less pro-social towards this out-group the longer they remain incarcerated. Finally, we introduce and evaluate a priming intervention that asks inmates to reflect on their time spent in prison. This intervention has a very sizeable and significant impact, increasing pro-sociality towards the out-group. Hence, a simple, low-cost intervention of this sort can have desirable effects in promoting rehabilitation and integration into social and economic life after release

Suggested Citation

  • Tarek Jaber-Lopez & Loukas Balafoutas & Aurora Garcia-Gallego & Nikolaos Georgantzis & Evangelos Mitrokostas, 2020. "Rehabilitation and social behavior: Experiments in prison," Post-Print hal-02975906, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02975906
    DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2019.10.009
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Antoine Malézieux & Benno Torgler, 2021. "Culture, Immigration and Tax Compliance," CREMA Working Paper Series 2021-23, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    2. Liu, Han & Ackert, Lucy F. & Chang, Fang & Qi, Li & Shi, Yaojiang, 2021. "Social division, trust, and reciprocity among Chinese inmates," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(3), pages 259-273.
    3. Steeve Marchand & Guy Lacroix & William Arbour, 2023. "Prison rehabilitation programs and recidivism: evidence from variations in availability," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2023n07, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    4. Friehe Tim & Mungan Murat C., 2024. "Inmate Assistance Programs," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 24(4), pages 1341-1351.
    5. Parampreet Christopher Bindra & Graeme Pearce, 2022. "The effect of priming on fraud: Evidence from a natural field experiment," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 60(4), pages 1854-1874, October.
    6. Alexandra Baier & Loukas Balafoutas & Tarek Jaber-Lopez, 2023. "Ostracism and theft in heterogeneous groups," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 26(1), pages 193-222, March.
    7. William Arbour & Guy Lacroix & Steeve Marchand, 2021. "Prison Rehabilitation Programs: Efficiency and Targeting," Working Papers tecipa-684, University of Toronto, Department of Economics.
    8. Guo, Shiqi & Liang, Pinghan & Xiao, Erte, 2020. "In-group bias in prisons," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 328-340.
    9. Cao, Qian & Li, Jianbiao & Niu, Xiaofei & Zhu, Chengkang, 2025. "Power distance and dishonest behavior," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    10. Essl, Andrea & Hauser, David & von Bieberstein, Frauke, 2024. "Let's think about the future: The effect of positive and negative future primes on pro-environmental behavior," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 109(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • 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

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