Snapping Back: Food Stamp Bans and Criminal Recidivism
2019 ◽
Vol 11
(2)
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pp. 301-327
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Keyword(s):
I estimate the effect of access to food stamps on criminal recidivism. In 1996, a federal welfare reform imposed a lifetime ban from food stamps on convicted drug felons. Florida modified this ban, restricting it to drug traffickers who commit their offense on or after August 23, 1996. I exploit this sharp cutoff in a regression discontinuity design and find that the ban increases recidivism among drug traffickers. The increase is driven by financially motivated crimes, suggesting that the cut in benefits causes ex-convicts to return to crime to make up for the lost transfer income. (JEL H75, I38, K42)
2000 ◽
Vol 82
(3)
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pp. 635-641
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2015 ◽
Vol 3
(3)
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pp. 493-514
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2012 ◽
Vol 18
(2)
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pp. 317-325
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