University of Melbourne

From Juvenile to Adult Offender: An Investigation into the Determinants of Juvenile Arrests and the Relationship between Juvenile and Adult Arrests.

Email address: g.kalb@unimelb.edu.au

Keywords: juvenile criminality, adult criminality, treatment effects model, discrete choice model, EM algorithm

JEL Classifications: C35, J13, K42

Abstract:
This paper investigates the determinants of juvenile delinquency and the relationship between juvenile and adult arrests. An ordered probit model for juvenile arrest is estimated separately for males and females. The results for males and females indicate that juvenile arrests are more likely for non-whites and for those who leave education early. Males and females behave differently, in that males are more likely to be repeat offenders. A treatment effects model is used to estimate juvenile and adult arrest equations jointly for males. This shows that the effect of juvenile arrest on adult arrest is largest for white men and men with fewer years of school.

PDF file of paper: kalb.pdf

Session: Law and Economics

Time: Saturday, 7 July, 2:15pm - 3:45pm

Room: A