THE CONTEXT OF MARRIAGE AND CRIME: GENDER,THE PROPENSITY TO MARRY,AND OFFENDING IN EARLY ADULTHOOD*

Marriage is central to theoretical debates over stability and change in criminal offending over the life course. Yet, unlike other social ties such as employment, marriage is distinct in that it cannot be randomly assigned in survey research to more definitively assess causal effects of marriage on offending. As a result, key questions remain as to whether different individual propensities toward marriage shape its salience as a deterrent institution. Building on these issues, the current research has three objectives. First, we use a propensity score matching approach to estimate causal effects of marriage on crime in early adulthood. Second, we assess sex differences in the effects of marriage on offending. Although both marriage and offending are highly gendered phenomena, prior work typically focuses on males. Third, we examine whether one's propensity to marry conditions the deterrent capacity of marriage. Results show that marriage suppresses offending for males, even when accounting for their likelihood to marry. Furthermore, males who are least likely to marry seem to benefit most from this institution. The influence of marriage on crime is less robust for females, where marriage reduces crime only for those with moderate propensities to marry. We discuss these findings in the context of recent debates concerning gender, criminal offending, and the life course.     

Preface to Social Theory of Property Rights

Abstract. In the history of liberal theories of property, the predominant model deduces a right to highly unequal amounts of property from a premise that the person is primarily independent and self-determined. But modem social theory, communitarianism and critical legal theory have generated strong support for an alternative premise of social self-determination of the person. These theories have not, however, adequately explored the logical implications of social personality for the justifiable degree of equality of income under property right. This study reasons a right to some significant equalization of income from a premise that the individual is socially self-determined. The supporting argument develops a different concept of social personality than found in prevailing social and communitarian theories. With regard to property, it is particularly important to conceptualize the formation of the individual by and within the system of economic relations. The personological premises are also developed differently from Marx's analysis, which overemphasizes the production side of the economy. The present analysis examines the individual in the consumption side as well. But in contrast to the subjective-individualist conception of the consumer in neoclassical economic theory, we will utilize a conception of socially self-determined consumer wants and self-seeking. This social-personological premise proves to have strong egalitarian implications for the distribution of income under property rights.     

China’s Economy over the Last Ten

CHINA is approaching its once-in-adecade change in president and gov- ernment. It’s a good time to pause and reflect on the last 10 years of China’s economic performance. The data for 2012 is stil being produced, so our decade has to be 2001- 2011. This doesn’t give us a precise overlap with the country’s politics - 2001 was the final year of the previous administration,     

China Has the World’s Fastest Growth in Living Standards简

正ONE of the strangest claims about China that sometimes appear in the media is that it has a slow growth of consumption and living standards.In reality China has the fastest growth of consumption of any country in the world–whether this is measured only by household consumption or includes government consumption in areas vital for quality of life,such as education and health.Furthermore,indicators show that compared to other countries,China’s quality of life is better than would be expected from its present stage of economic development.First the facts regarding these issues are established and then they will be analyzed.     

U.K. Needs Clear Choice on China Relations

正CHINA and Britain have potentially one of the world’s most fruitful international economic relationships.Not only do they account for 16 percent of world GDP,but their two economies are mutually complementary rather than competitive.China is now the world’s largest industrial producer,