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Does Placing Children in Foster Care Increase Their Adult Criminality?

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  • Lindquist, Matthew J.

    (Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University)

  • Santavirta, Torsten

    (Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University)

Abstract

We evaluate the association between foster care placement during childhood and adult criminality. In contrast to previous studies, we allow associations to vary by gender and age at initial placement. We find that foster care predicts higher adult criminality for males first placed during adolescence (ages 13–18). We find no significant association for boys who were placed in foster care before age 13 and no significant association on the adult criminality of girls. These null findings stand in stark contrast to the poor outcomes reported in earlier work concerning the long-run effects of foster care.
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Suggested Citation

  • Lindquist, Matthew J. & Santavirta, Torsten, 2013. "Does Placing Children in Foster Care Increase Their Adult Criminality?," Working Paper Series 3/2013, Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:sofiwp:2013_003
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    Cited by:

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    2. Anthony Bald & Eric Chyn & Justine Hastings & Margarita Machelett, 2022. "The Causal Impact of Removing Children from Abusive and Neglectful Homes," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 130(7), pages 1919-1962.
    3. Borgen, Nicolai T. & Frønes, Ivar & Raaum, Oddbjørn, 2023. "Every tenth child: Heterogeneity in characteristics and life-course patterns among children in contact with child welfare services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    4. Orri, Massimiliano & Côté, Sylvana M. & Marttila, Mikko & Ristikari, Tiina, 2021. "Childhood out-of-home placement and pathways to adult socioeconomic outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    5. Bennett, Patrick, 2018. "The heterogeneous effects of education on crime: Evidence from Danish administrative twin data," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 160-177.
    6. Petra Gram Cavalca & Mette Ejrnæs & Mette Gørtz, 2022. "Before and after out-of-home placement: Child health, education and crime," CEBI working paper series 22-22, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    7. Sasaki, Yuya & Ura, Takuya, 2023. "Estimation and inference for policy relevant treatment effects," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 234(2), pages 394-450.
    8. John Gardner & Bright Osei, 2022. "Recreational marijuana legalization and admission to the foster‐care system," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 60(3), pages 1311-1334, July.
    9. Ie, Judite & Ursin, Marit & Vicente-Mariño, Miguel, 2022. "Foster children’s views of family: A systematic review and qualitative synthesis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    10. Gypen, Laura & Vanderfaeillie, Johan & De Maeyer, Skrallan & Belenger, Laurence & Van Holen, Frank, 2017. "Outcomes of children who grew up in foster care: Systematic-review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 74-83.
    11. Lovett, Nicholas & Xue, Yuhan, 2020. "Family first or the kindness of strangers? Foster care placements and adult outcomes," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    12. Hayduk Iryna, 2017. "The Effect of Kinship Placement Laws on Foster Children’s Well-Being," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 17(1), pages 1-23, February.
    13. Fallesen, Peter, 2016. "Downward spiral: The impact of out-of-home placement on paternal welfare dependency," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 45-55.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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