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Economic Freedom and Recidivism: Evidence from US States

International Advances in Economic Research volume 21, pages 155–165 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

This paper provides an exploratory analysis into factors contributing to differences across states in recidivism rates. We provide the first such examination that incorporates differences in economic freedom. Using a panel data set from 1998 to 2010, we find that higher levels of economic freedom within a state are associated with lower recidivism rates within that state. A one percent increase in state economic freedom is associated with a 0.47 % decrease in parolee recidivism. The relationship is stronger and more statistically significant for labor market freedom, with a one percent increase in labor market freedom being associated with a 0.67 % decline in recidivism.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank James Barth, Richard Cebula, and David Sorenson for their helpful comments at the 2014 meetings of the International Atlantic Economic Society in Savannah, GA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Business and Economics, West Virginia University, 1601 University Ave, PO BOX 6025, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6025, USA

    Joshua Hall & Kaitlyn Harger

  2. Lutgert College of Business, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers, FL, 33965, USA

    Dean Stansel

Authors
  1. Joshua Hall
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  2. Kaitlyn Harger
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  3. Dean Stansel
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Correspondence to Joshua Hall.

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Hall, J., Harger, K. & Stansel, D. Economic Freedom and Recidivism: Evidence from US States. Int Adv Econ Res 21, 155–165 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11294-015-9520-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11294-015-9520-5

Keywords

  • Recidivism
  • Institutions
  • Prison
  • Parole

JEL Classification

  • D02
  • K14
  • K42
  • Z13