European Seminars on the Economics of Crime (ESEC)

We study how citizenship affects criminal behavior among young immigrants in Denmark. Using a regression discontinuity design exploiting age-based eligibility criteria in Danish naturalization bills, we compare children just below and just above age 18 at the time of parental naturalization. Those below age 18 are eligible for citizenship alongside their parents; those above are not. We find that citizenship increases the probability of being charged with or convicted of a violent crime between ages 18 and 25. We investigate the mechanisms behind this response, focusing on effects on educational outcomes, labor market outcomes, and changes to the risk of deportation.