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Does Being 'Left–Behind' in Childhood Lead To Criminality in Adulthood? Evidence from Data on Rural-Urban Migrants and Prison Inmates in China

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  • Cameron, Lisa A.

    (University of Melbourne)

  • Meng, Xin

    (Australian National University)

  • Zhang, Dandan

    (Peking University)

Abstract

Large scale rural-to-urban migration and China's household registration system have resulted in about 61 million children being left-behind in rural villages when their parents migrate to the cities. This paper uses survey and experimental data from male rural-urban migrants – prison inmates and comparable non-inmates – to examine whether parental absence in childhood as a result of migration is associated with increased criminality in adulthood. Control functions and sibling fixed effects are used to identify causal impacts. Parental absence due to migration is found to increase the propensity of adult males to commit crimes. Being left-behind decreases educational attainment and increases risk-loving behavior, both of which increase criminality.

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  • Cameron, Lisa A. & Meng, Xin & Zhang, Dandan, 2021. "Does Being 'Left–Behind' in Childhood Lead To Criminality in Adulthood? Evidence from Data on Rural-Urban Migrants and Prison Inmates in China," IZA Discussion Papers 14774, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14774
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    Cited by:

    1. Lin, Kai & Qu, Jia, 2025. "“Left-behind children” and their pathways into criminality: A mixed-method study of delinquent adolescents in China," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    2. Gutiérrez-Romero, Roxana, 2024. "Drug trafficking fuels violence leading to mass emigration: The case of Guatemala," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    3. Cortina Toro,Magdalena & Jimenez,Juan Miguel & Rozo Villarraga,Sandra Viviana, 2024. "Little Nomads : Economic and Social Impacts of Migration on Children," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10686, The World Bank.

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    JEL classification:

    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure

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