Prison as a Criminal School: Peer Effects and Criminal Learning behind Bars
Written by: Anna Piil Damm and Cédric Gorinas
We investigate peer effects on crime-specific recidivism, using register data for the entire Danish prison population. In line with a logic of crime specialisation we do not find that inmates build new criminal capital in prison but rather strengthen criminal capital due to exposure to offenders with the same field of specialisation (i.e. reinforcing peer effects). Our results accord with a theory of crime-specific knowledge transmission and network building in prison: we find reinforcing peer effects for crimes that require crimespecific capital, planning and network (e.g. drug crimes, theft, burglary and fencing) and/or are more effective when committed in groups (e.g. threats and vandalism). We find no reinforcing peer effects on recidivism with crimes that tend to be committed spontaneously and solo (e.g. violence and sexual assaults, weapon possession). Our findings carry important implications for prison assignment policies.
Latest releases on the same welfare topic

Research report
Attrition in longitudinal surveys and estimates of the effect of health on the employment of older workers
June 2025

Research report
Health and employment of older workers – an analysis using administrative data
June 2025

Knowledge overview
Health Declines After Age 45 Contribute Only Modestly to the Drop in Employment by Age 70
June 2025

Research report
Using Tax Kinks to Estimate the Marginal Propensity to Consume
June 2025