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Table 8 Impacts on social behavior associated with crime

From: Can public works programs reduce youth crime? Evidence from Papua New Guinea’s Urban Youth Employment Project

Variable of interest

Before (mean/sd)

After (mean/sd)

Difference (mean/se)

 

(1)

(2)

(3)

Hang out with friends late at night (treatments)

0.364

0.296

−0.068**

 

(0.482)

(0.457)

(0.030)

Hang out with friends late at night (controls)

0.422

0.442

0.020

 

(0.495)

(0.498)

(0.035)

DD

  

−0.088**

   

(0.036)

Best friend involved in crime last 3 months (treatments)

0.237

0.157

−0.080***

 

(0.426)

(0.364)

(0.027)

Best friend involved in crime last 3 months (controls)

0.269

0.309

0.040

 

(0.444)

(0.463)

(0.034)

DD

  

−0.120***

   

(0.050)

Gets drunk often (1 or more times per week) (treatments)

0.442

0.341

−0.101**

 

(0.498)

(0.475)

(0.047)

Gets drunk often (1 or more times per week) (controls)

0.476

0.398

−0.078

 

(0.501)

(0.491)

(0.049)

DD

  

−0.023

   

(0.072)

Chews betel nut (treatments)

0.808

0.822

0.015

 

(0.395)

(0.383)

(0.022)

Chews betel nut (controls)

0.823

0.867

0.044

 

(0.382)

(0.360)

(0.028)

DD

  

−0.029

   

(0.044)

  1. Note: significance level: ***p < 0.01; **p < 0.05; *p < 0.1. The sample size is 338 for treatments and 249 for controls. Source: authors’ estimates
  2. DD difference-in-differences