This proposed research will use experimental methods to study the long-term effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on violent behavior of young men. One of the most pressing social problems in the world is what to do about delinquent, criminal, or violent young men. What leads some people to destructive behaviors and what can society do to prevent or change the violent behavior of young people? An influential study found that the combination of a CBT intervention and a cash transfer delivered to high risk young men in high risk neighborhoods led to a drop-in crime and violence in the short run. This suggested that adults could be taught non-cognitive skills that can keep them out of crime. However, it is not clear that this effect of CBT on behavior persists over the long run. This research project will follow up on the original study participants after 8 years to assess the long- term impacts and mechanisms through which they occur. The results of this research can have enormous implications for policies to decrease crime and violence among the youth in the U.S. and across the world, establishing the US as the global leader in using CBT to reduce violence.
This research project will study the long-run effect of CBT on crime and violence among young men. This project is a follow-up study on a randomized controlled trial of a CBT intervention and a $200 cash payment implemented with 999 high-risk young men in 2011-2012. On their own, each intervention led to a 40-50% drop in crime and violence 1-2 months after the interventions. These large positive effects persisted among men who received both the CBT and cash intervention, but not among men who received one or the other. This research project will follow the participants in the original study to test whether CBT has long term effects on violence and crime, and if so, through what mechanisms. This long-run study will use self-reported survey data, behavioral game play, and administrative data on arrests and incarceration to identify whether CBT and cash transfer continue to have large persistent effects on crime and violence. This research project will provide important input into policies to reduce violence among young men thus establishing the US as the global leader in using CBT to positively change behavior.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
