Misdemeanor Convictions Have Limited Public Value

A large causal study using administrative records from nearly seven million defendants and county 'dismissal' reforms finds that reducing misdemeanor convictions on the margin produced no average harm to crime or labor outcomes, though harms concentrate on young and first‑time defendants. The findings imply many routine misdemeanor convictions deliver little social benefit and that dismissal policies targeted at vulnerable subgroups could improve welfare. — If misdemeanor convictions are often welfare‑negative or neutral, states could save public funds and reduce harms by changing charging, plea, and dismissal practices — shifting core criminal‑justice and budget priorities.