Citation

Andersen SH. Ann. Am. Acad. Polit. Soc. Sci. 2016; 665(1): 46-62.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0002716216632456

PMID

27471323

PMCID

PMC4941095

Abstract

This article tests whether an alcohol treatment program for drunk drivers in Denmark increased the stability of their relationships with spouses or cohabiting partners. The treatment program, implemented in 1990, allowed a group of offenders to avoid prison and participate in a rehabilitation program. I use it here as a natural experiment, exploiting a rich administrative dataset to show that the program marginally increases offenders' relationship stability. I also test whether increased relationship stability observed among the treated offenders results from their pardon from prison or from their participation in the rehabilitation program.

RESULTS suggest that the rehabilitation program drives the effect. These findings contribute to the literature on what alternative sanctions could be offered to offenders to improve their long-term social outcomes.

Language: en