Abstract
The relationship between unemployment and crime is the subject of research and debate. We present evidence that suggests that recidivism among ex-offenders can be reduced by providing unemployment compensation available immediately after their release from prison. A California program made such benefits—transitional aid—available during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Using a 5-year follow-up and a failure-time model, we show how recidivism among an eligible group was consistently lower over those 5 years than for an ineligible group.
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Rauma, D., Berk, R.A. Remuneration and recidivism: The long-term impact of unemployment compensation on ex-offenders. J Quant Criminol 3, 3–27 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01065198
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01065198