Does Dropping Out of High School Affect the Probability of Spending Time in Prison or Jail?

Citation

Totten, Alaina (2015). Does Dropping Out of High School Affect the Probability of Spending Time in Prison or Jail?. Georgia College Student Research Conference. Milledgeville, GA.

Abstract

There is significant evidence that government expenditures on prison are substantial and that a lack of education contributes to crime rates. I estimate a linear probability model via OLS to determine how graduating from high school affects the probability of being arrested as an adult. In this study I use data from Waves 1 and 4 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). After controlling for mother and father absenteeism, childhood household income, demographic data, and whether or not parents spent time in prison I find that dropping out of high school increases the probability of going to jail or prison by 20 percentage points.

URL

http://kb.gcsu.edu/src/2015/friday/49/

Reference Type

Conference proceeding

Book Title

Georgia College Student Research Conference

Author(s)

Totten, Alaina

Year Published

2015

City of Publication

Milledgeville, GA

Reference ID

5593