The continued rise in student debt has negatively affected socioeconomic mobility among young American adults, with Black Americans bearing the brunt of student debt burden. Though Americans romanticize entrepreneurship as a path to socioeconomic mobility, little is known about the consequences of student debt burden for business ownership and success, and how such consequences vary by race. While some research contends that higher education increases business ownership and success, we know little about whether and how this relationship varies by race.

A recent study that analyzed over 20 years of administrative data found that within two years, marginal misdemeanor defendants who were prosecuted were more likely to be arrested, charged, prosecuted, and convicted of another crime. This is contrary to conventional wisdom that such prosecution should deter criminal involvement. What might explain this finding?

Baby’s First Years (BFY) is the first randomized control trial of the effects of unconditional cash transfers on the development of young children. To understand whether and how increased income allows parents to invest in their children, it is important to understand how parents think about money. Similarly resourced parents, whose money comes from distinct sources (e.g., cash welfare versus wages), may deploy their resources differently. In this study, sociologist Sarah Halpern-Meekin and psychologist Katherine Magnuson aim to better understand parents’ choices.