Youth

Boosting Take-up of the Expanded Child Tax Credit

The expanded Child Tax Credit in 2021 was generous but suffered from low take-up among the lowest income families. We identify families who are likely eligible and experimentally helped them file taxes through VITA, the volunteer income tax assistance program. Preliminary results suggest that the assistance intervention nearly tripled the rate of filing through VITA but did not increase overall filing rates. This trial is registered in the AEA RCT registry (https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/8860).

Engaging Young Men Involved in Chicago’s Criminal Justice System: A Feasibility Study of Bridges to Pathways

Bridges to Pathways was a program for high-risk young men in Chicago who were involved with the criminal justice system. The program offered mentoring, classes to earn a high school credential, and subsidized internships. The program reduced the rate of arrest for felony crimes and for violent crimes in the first year after study enrollment.