Department of Economics
March 17, 2016

Aizer provides testimony to R.I. House committee

Announcements

Brown economics professor Anna Aizer testified before the Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee regarding RI House Bill 7608 which seeks to establish a minimum age at which juveniles could be detained in the RI Juvenile Detention Facility.

Aizer's testimony was based on recent work with Joe Doyle of MIT showing that juveniles detained for even a relatively short period of time are less likely to graduate from high school and more likely to be incarcerated as an adult. As such, the costs of detaining a single juvenile are considerably higher than the $100,000-$200,000 annual direct costs.  The lifetime earnings of high school dropouts are $260,000 less than peers who earn a diploma.  And, as a result, those without a high school diploma generate less revenue for state and federal governments (estimated to be $60,000 less than what high school graduates generate) and they receive disproportionate public support in the form of food stamps, housing subsidies, etc.  Moreover, the annual costs of incarcerating an adult are estimated at $31,000.  Together these results suggest that the costs associated with juvenile detention and incarceration are great and the benefits minimal.  Legislation that reduces the probability of juvenile detention or incarceration is likely to generate considerable current and future savings to the state.