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Declining employment among young black less-educated men: The role of incarceration and child support

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Listed:
  • Harry J. Holzer

    (Georgetown University)

  • Paul Offner

    (Urban Institute)

  • Elaine Sorensen

    (Urban Institute)

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the continuing decline in employment and labor force participation of nonenrolled Black men between the ages of 16 and 34 who have a high school education or less in the 1980s and 1990s. We focus on two fairly new developments: (1) the dramatic growth in the number of young Black men who have been incarcerated and (2) strengthened enforcement of child support policies. We analyze micro-level data from the Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Groups (CPS-ORG), into which state-level data over time on incarceration rates and child support enforcement have been merged. Our results indicate that previous incarceration and child support enforcement can account for half or more of the decline in employment activity among Black men aged 25-34. Previous incarceration also contributes to the decline among those aged 16-24. © 2005 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management

Suggested Citation

  • Harry J. Holzer & Paul Offner & Elaine Sorensen, 2005. "Declining employment among young black less-educated men: The role of incarceration and child support," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(2), pages 329-350.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:24:y:2005:i:2:p:329-350
    DOI: 10.1002/pam.20092
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    References listed on IDEAS

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