Caroline Walker (Cornell University)

Male Incarceration and Female Public Assistance Participation

Abstract: In this paper, I investigate the spillover effects of incarceration on public assistance participation in the United States. Specifically, I examine the effect of an increase in the share of men who are incarcerated on the eligibility and take-up of cash welfare among women in the same communities. To estimate this causal effect, I employ an instrumental variables technique where I instrument for male incarceration rates using changes in the treatment of drug-related offenses across state felony court systems and demographic groups arising from the War on Drugs. I find that increases in male incarceration reduce cash welfare participation among women. I discuss several potential mechanisms, including family formation, labor supply, and incomplete take-up.