Designed for policymakers, this fact sheet discusses the characteristics of incarcerated fathers, the impact of a father's incarceration on his ability to pay child support, and strategies that can be implemented to modify child support obligations and to support father-child relationships. Answers to questions concerning incarcerated fathers and relationships with their children are also provided.
Preliminary data from the Fragile Families survey were analyzed to examine the impact of incarceration on marriage and family structure. The study specifically considered the characteristics of married and unmarried fathers at risk of imprisonment. Men who have been incarcerated are less likely to be married than men who have never been in prison. Former inmates were also less likely to have a relationship with the mother of their child at the child's first birthday. Regression analysis with incarceration as a dummy variable supported the finding that a history of incarceration negatively…
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The Rochester Youth Development Study and the Pittsburgh Youth Study examined risk factors for teenage paternity, specifically the role of delinquency in early fatherhood. Both studies concluded that early delinquency is a highly significant risk factor for becoming a teen father. In addition, the Rochester study reported that the possibility of teen paternity rises dramatically as risk factors accumulate, and the Pittsburgh study found that teen fatherhood may be followed by greater involvement in delinquency. (Author abstract, modified).
