Abstract
This paper examines the impact of additional income provided to low-income families immediately after childbirth on criminal justice involvement. Using a regression discontinuity design, I exploit a policy that allows children born before year-end to be claimed as dependents for that tax year, thereby providing additional cash during the first year of parenthood. Using linked administrative data, I find that this extra income immediately reduces the likelihood of criminal charges and incarceration among first-time fathers, particularly for income-related offenses. In the long run, it also reduces juvenile justice involvement among their children.