RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Investing in Health and Public Safety: Childhood Medicaid Eligibility and Later Life Criminal Behavior
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 1119-10549R5
DO 10.3368/jhr.1119-10549R5
A1 Hendrix, Logan
A1 Stock, Wendy A.
YR 2022
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2022/05/02/jhr.1119-10549R5.abstract
AB A growing body of research documents positive long-term impacts of public health insurance that go far beyond improving recipients’ health. In this study, we expand the analysis to assess whether expanding Medicaid coverage generates reductions in crime. We find that increased Medicaid eligibility during childhood generates significant reductions in crime in early adulthood. Cohorts who experienced expanded Medicaid eligibility during childhood had significantly fewer arrests for property crime, drug-related crime, and driving under the influence in early adulthood. The effects are concentrated among males, are larger for blacks than whites, and larger for eligibility experienced later in childhood.