Accountability Cuts Teen Crime

A large, regression‑discontinuity study of South Carolina students shows that attending a school that receives a failing accountability rating (versus narrowly higher ratings) led to improved school climate, higher test pass rates, and a roughly 12% reduction in arrests later in life. The mechanism appears to be state‑triggered reform pressure (improvement plans, targeted instructional support, oversight) rather than student sorting or large spending increases. — If accountability systems that trigger state oversight cause durable reductions in later criminality, policymakers should weigh them as a crime‑prevention tool alongside policing and social programs.