Consequences of Partner Incarceration for Women's Employment

As the rate of incarceration in the U.S. has increased, researchers have developed an interest in understanding the consequences of this expansion not only for current and former prisoners but also for their loved ones. This research has documented the limited opportunities men have to earn income while in prison and the difficulties they face finding employment upon release or earning decent wages when they do find work. However, little research has considered the relationship between men’s incarceration and the employment of the women to which they are connected. The families of incarcerated individuals face a high degree of economic instability that is often exacerbated by family members’ involvement with the penal system. This paper uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to investigate how men’s incarceration is associated with the employment of their female partners, or women with whom they share children, as well as variation in this association. Results show that, on average, women’s hours of work are not significantly impacted by the incarceration of their partners. However, there is a positive relationship between partner incarceration and employment among married women, white women and women experiencing the first imprisonment of their partners.