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Breaking Bad: Mechanisms of Social Influence and the Path to Criminality in Juvenile Jails

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  • Megan Stevenson

    (George Mason University)

Abstract

I conduct a series of tests of peer influence in juvenile incarceration facilities motivated by three mechanisms: criminal skill transfer, the formation of new criminal networks, and the social contagion of crime-oriented noncognitive factors. Identifying peer influence off natural variation in small cohorts within the same facility, I find evidence consistent with social contagion: exposure to peers who come from unstable homes and have high levels of aggression leads to an increase in crime after release, as well as an increase in crime-oriented attitudes and behaviors. This effect persists despite controlling for the criminal experience and gang affiliation of the cohort, and is found in settings where youths are unlikely to interact after release.

Suggested Citation

  • Megan Stevenson, 2017. "Breaking Bad: Mechanisms of Social Influence and the Path to Criminality in Juvenile Jails," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 99(5), pages 824-838, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:99:y:2017:i:5:p:824-838
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    Cited by:

    1. Luca Paolo Merlino & Max Friedrich Steinhardt & Wren-Lewis Liam, 2022. "The long run impact of childhood interracial contact on residential segregation," PSE Working Papers halshs-03754124, HAL.
    2. Giovanni Mastrobuoni & Daniele Terlizzese, 2022. "Leave the Door Open? Prison Conditions and Recidivism," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 200-233, October.
    3. Lindquist, Matthew J. & Zenou, Yves, 2019. "Crime and Networks: 10 Policy Lessons," IZA Discussion Papers 12534, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Bastien Michel & Camille Hémet, 2022. "Custodial versus non-custodial sentences: Long-run evidence from an anticipated reform," PSE Working Papers halshs-03899897, HAL.
    5. Emeline Bezin & Thierry Verdier & Yves Zenou, 2022. "Crime, Broken Families, and Punishment," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 723-760, November.
    6. Stevenson, Megan T. & Doleac, Jennifer, 2019. "Algorithmic Risk Assessment in the Hands of Humans," IZA Discussion Papers 12853, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. Beatton, Tony & Kidd, Michael P. & Sandi, Matteo, 2020. "School indiscipline and crime," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 108475, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    10. Merlino, Luca Paolo & Steinhardt, Max Friedrich & Wren-Lewis, Liam, 2024. "The long run impact of childhood interracial contact on residential segregation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    11. Tomás Cortés & Nicolás Grau & Jorge Rivera, 2019. "Juvenile Incarceration and Adult Recidivism," Working Papers wp482, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    12. Escobar, Maria A. & Tobón, Santiago & Vanegas-Arias, Martín, 2023. "Production and persistence of criminal skills: Evidence from a high-crime context," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    13. Kegon Teng Kok Tan & Mariyana Zapryanova, 2019. "The Role of Prison in Recidivism," Working Papers 2019-083, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    14. Jason Baron, E. & Jacob, Brian & Ryan, Joseph, 2023. "Pretrial juvenile detention," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    15. Luca Paolo Merlino & Max Friedrich Steinhardt & Liam Wren-Lewis, 2019. "More than Just Friends? School Peers and Adult Interracial Relationships," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37(3), pages 663-713.
    16. Georges Bresson & Guy Lacroix & Mohammad Arshad Rahman, 2021. "Bayesian panel quantile regression for binary outcomes with correlated random effects: an application on crime recidivism in Canada," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(1), pages 227-259, January.
    17. William Arbour & Guy Lacroix & Steeve Marchand, 2021. "Prison Rehabilitation Programs: Efficiency and Targeting," Working Papers tecipa-684, University of Toronto, Department of Economics.
    18. Matthew J. Lindquist & Eleonora Patacchini & Michael Vlassopoulos & Yves Zenou, 2024. "Spillovers in criminal networks: Evidence from co-offender deaths," IFS Working Papers W24/56, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    19. Erdem, Gizem & Betül Yücesoy, Zeynep & Esra Ersayan, Ayşe, 2024. "Daily experiences and close relationships incarcerated youth: Perspectives of inmates and prison staff," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    20. Giovanni Mastrobuoni & Daniele Terlizzese, 2021. "Cash: Leave the Door Open? Prison Conditions and Recidivism," EIEF Working Papers Series 2111, Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF), revised Jun 2021.
    21. Christoph Engel & Sebastian J. Goerg & Christian Traxler, 2022. "Intensified support for juvenile offenders on probation: Evidence from Germany," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(2), pages 447-490, June.
    22. 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.
    23. Zanella, Giulio, 2020. "Prison Work and Convict Rehabilitation," IZA Discussion Papers 13446, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    24. Santiago Tobón Zapata & Maria Antonia Escobar Bernal & Martin Vanegas Arias, 2021. "Criminal capital persistence: Evidence from 90,000 inmates’ releases," Documentos de Trabajo de Valor Público 19297, Universidad EAFIT.

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