CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 355Crime Patterns and InterventionsCriminal Justice and Corrections AnalysisExperimental Behavioral Economics Studies

Reducing Crime and Violence: Experimental Evidence from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Liberia

Blattman, Christopher, Jamison, Julian C., Sheridan, Margaret·2017·American Economic Review
DOI 10.1257/aer.20150503
Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

We show that a number of noncognitive skills and preferences, including patience and identity, are malleable in adults, and that investments in them reduce crime and violence. We recruited criminally engaged men and randomized one-half to eight weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy designed to foster self-regulation, patience, and a noncriminal identity and lifestyle. We also randomized $200 grants. Cash alone and therapy alone initially reduced crime and violence, but effects dissipated over time. When cash followed therapy, crime and violence decreased dramatically for at least a year. We hypothesize that cash reinforced therapy's impacts by prolonging learning-by-doing, lifestyle changes, and self-investment. (JEL D12, D83, H23, I32, K42, O15, O17)

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1257/aer.20150503

Cites

9 of 9 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Blattman et al. (2017) show that behavioral therapy can reduce violent crimes.

    “Blattman et al. (2017) study the effect of behavioral therapy and show that it can reduce violent crimes.”

    From Prison Rehabilitation Programs: Efficiency and Targeting (2021) · cites this paper as Blattman et al. (2017)

    The Abstract (p. 1) says cognitive behavioral therapy initially reduced crime and violence, supporting the broad point that the intervention can help. But the Results (p. 21) say effects on disputes and fights were not statistically distinguishable from zero; the paper does not establish a reduction in violent crimes as a distinct outcome. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Blattman et al. (2017) conducted a randomized controlled trial in Liberia recruiting high-risk men aged 18-35 and found that cognitive-behavioral therapy reduces anti-social behavior.

    “Blattman et al. (2017) conduct an RCT in Liberia recruiting high-risk men aged 18-35.They find that CBT reduces anti-social behavior.”

    From Can Restorative Justice Conferencing Reduce Recidivism? Evidence From the Make-it-Right Program (2021) · cites this paper as Blattman et al. (2017)

  • The effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy dissipate and are not significant after a year unless combined with a monetary grant.

    “However, the effects dissipate and are not significant after a year unless combined with a monetary grant.”

    From Can Restorative Justice Conferencing Reduce Recidivism? Evidence From the Make-it-Right Program (2021) · cites this paper as Blattman et al. (2017)

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 42

  1. Akerlof, G. A. and R. E. Kranton (2000). Economics and identity. Quarterly Journal of Economics 115 (3), 715-753.
  2. Almlund, M., A. L. Duckworth, J. Heckman, and T. Kautz (2011). Personality Psychology and Economics. In Handbook of the economics of education , Volume 4(1), pp. 1-181. Elsevier.
  3. Andrews, D. A., I. Zinger, R. D. Hoge, J. Bonta, P. Gendreau, and F. T. Cullen (1990). Does correctional treatment work? A clinically relevant and psychologically informed metaanalysis. Criminology 28 (3), 369-404.
  4. Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond . New york: Guilford Press.
  5. Becker, A., T. Deckers, T. Dohmen, A. Falk, and F. Kosse (2012). The Relationship Between Economic Preferences and Psychological Personality Measures. Annual Review of Economics 4 , 453-78.
  6. Becker, G. S. (1968). Crime and Punishment: An Economic Approach. Journal of Political Economy 76 , 169-217.
  7. Bénabou, R. and J. Tirole (2004). Willpower and personal rules. Journal of Political Economy 112 (4), 848-886.
  8. Bianchi, M. and M. Bobba (2013). Liquidity, Risk, and Occupational Choices. Review of Economic Studies 80 (2), 491-511.
  9. Blattman, C. and J. Annan (2015). Can Employment Reduce Lawlessness and Rebellion? A Field Experiment with High-Risk Men in a Fragile State. forthcoming in American Political Science Review .
  10. Blattman, C., J. Annan, E. P. Green, C. Lehmann, and J. Jamison (2015). The returns to microenterprise development among the ultra-poor: A field experiment in post-war Uganda. forthcoming in American Economic Journal: Applied Economics .
  11. Blattman, C., N. Fiala, and S. Martinez (2014). Generating skilled employment in developing countries: Experimental evidence from Uganda. Quarterly Journal of Economics 129 (2), 697-752.
  12. Blattman, C., J. Jamison, T. Koroknay-Palicz, K. Rodrigues, and M. Sheridan (2015). Measuring the measurement error: A method to qualitatively validate survey data. forthcoming in Journal of Development Economics .
  13. Borghans, L., A. L. Duckworth, J. J. Heckman, and B. t. Weel (2008, September). The Economics and Psychology of Personality Traits. Journal of Human Resources 43 (4), 972-1059.
  14. Casey, K., R. Glennerster, and E. Miguel (2012). Reshaping Institutions: Evidence on Aid Impacts Using a Pre-Analysis Plan. Quarterly Journal of Economics 127 (4), 1755-1812.
  15. Christensen, M. M. and M. Utas (2008). Mercenaries of Democracy: the 'Politricks' of Remobilized Combatants in the 2007 General Elections, Sierra Leone. African Affairs 107 (429), 1-25.
  16. Coopersmith, S. (1967). The antecedents of self-esteem . San Francisco: Consulting Psychologists Press.
  17. Costa, P. T. and R. R. McCrae (1997). Stability and change in personality assessment: the revised NEO Personality Inventory in the year 2000. Journal of Personality Assessment 68 (1), 86-94.
  18. Cunha, F., J. J. Heckman, and S. M. Schennach (2010). Estimating the Technology of Cognitive and Noncognitive Skill Formation. Econometrica 78 (3), 883-931.
  19. Del Vecchio, T. and K. D. O'Leary (2004). Effectiveness of anger treatments for specific anger problems: a meta-analytic review. Clinical psychology review 24 (1), 15-34.
  20. Draca, M. and S. Machin (2015). Crime and Economic Incentives. Annual Review of Economics 7 , 389-408.
  21. Duckworth, A. L. and R. Schulze (2011). A Meta-Analysis of Convergent Validity Evidence for Self-Control Measures. Journal of Personality Assessment 45 (3), 259-268.
  22. Fafchamps, M., D. J. McKenzie, S. Quinn, and C. Woodruff (2014). When is capital enough to get female microenterprises growing? Evidence from a randomized experiment in Ghana. Journal of Development Economics 106 (1), 211-226.
  23. Gottfredson, M. R. and T. Hirschi (1990). A general theory of crime. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press.
  24. Heller, S. B. (2014, December). Summer jobs reduce violence among disadvantaged youth. Science 346 (6214), 1219-1223.
  25. Hill, P. L., B. W. Roberts, J. T. Grogger, J. Guryan, and K. Sixkiller (2011). Decreasing Delinquency, Criminal Behavior, and Recidivism by Intervening on Psychological Factors Other than Cognitive Ability: A Review of the Intervention Literature. NBER Working Paper 16698 .
  26. Jolls, C., C. R. Sunstein, and R. Thaler (1998). A behavioral approach to law and economics. Stanford Law Review 50 (5), 1471-1550.
  27. Judge, T. A., A. Erez, J. E. Bono, and C. J. Thoresen (2002). Are measures of self-esteem, neuroticism, locus of control, and generalized self-efficacy indicators of a common core construct? Journal of personality and social psychology 83 (3), 693.
  28. Karlan, D., R. Knight, and C. Udry (2015). Consulting and capital experiments with microenterprise tailors in ghana. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 118 , 281302.
  29. Langberg, J. M., S. P. Becker, J. N. Epstein, A. J. Vaughn, and E. Girio-Herrera (2013). Predictors of Response and Mechanisms of Change in an Organizational Skills Intervention for Students with ADHD. Journal of child and family studies 22 (6), 1000-1012.
  30. Lipsey, M. W. (2009). The primary factors that characterize effective interventions with juvenile offenders: A meta-analytic overview. Victims and offenders 4 (2), 124-147.
  31. Little, G., K. Robinson, and K. Burnette (1994). Treating offenders with cognitivebehavioral therapy: 5-year recidivism outcome data on MRT. Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Review 3 , 1-3.
  32. Lochman, J. E. (1992). Cognitive-behavioral intervention with aggressive boys: three-year follow-up and preventive effects. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology 60 (3), 426432.
  33. Maruna, S. and K. Roy (2007, February). Amputation or Reconstruction? Notes on the Concept of 'Knifing Off' and Desistance From Crime. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice 23 (1), 104-124.
  34. Nagin, D. S. and G. Pogarsky (2004). Time and punishment: Delayed consequences and criminal behavior. Journal of Quantitative Criminology 20 (4), 295-317.
  35. Nelson, C. A., C. H. Zeanah, N. A. Fox, P. J. Marshall, A. T. Smyke, and D. Guthrie (2007). Cognitive recovery in socially deprived young children: The Bucharest Early Intervention Project. Science 318 (5858), 1937-1940.
  36. Robinson, T. E. and K. C. Berridge (2000). The psychology and neurobiology of addiction: an incentive-sensitization view. Addiction 95 (2) , S91-117.
  37. Saini, M. (2009). A meta-analysis of the psychological treatment of anger: developing guidelines for evidence-based practice. The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 37 (4), 473-488.
  38. Schochet, P. Z., J. Burghardt, and S. McConnell (2008). Does Job Corps work? Impact findings from the National Job Corps Study. American Economic Review 98 (5), 18641886.
  39. Spinella, M. (2007). Normative data and a short form of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. The International journal of neuroscience 117 (3), 359-368.
  40. Vigil, J. D. (2003). Urban violence and street gangs. Annual Review of Anthropology 32 , 225-242.
  41. Westfall, P. H. and S. S. Young (1993). Resampling-based multiple testing: Examples and methods for p-value adjustment , Volume 279. John Wiley & Sons.
  42. Wilson, D. B., L. A. Bouffard, and D. L. Mackenzie (2005). A Quantitative Review of Structured, Group-Oriented, Cognitive-Behavioral Programs for Offenders. Criminal Justice and Behavior 32 (2), 172-204.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Blattman, C., Jamison, J. C., & Sheridan, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Chicago (US)
  • World Bank (US)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
ORCID
Venue
American Economic Review
Publisher
American Economic Association
Published
2017-04-01
Volume
107
Issue
4
Pages
1165-1206
ISSN
0002-8282 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1257/aer.20150503
OpenAlex
W3124054127
Cited by
355
References
9
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 49 · 2022: 54 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2
FWCI
84.01
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • American Economic Review (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
  • Open Research Exeter (University of Exeter) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies
Keywords
crime reduction, violence prevention, cognitive behavioral therapy, non-cognitive skills, patience, self-regulation, cash transfers, Liberia, hands-on learning, self-investment
MeSH terms
Self-Control, Aggression, Crime, Humans, Liberia, Male, Peer Group, Violence, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review