Abstract

Parental incarceration is connected to many negative outcomes for children including negative externalizing behaviors. Most studies are not conclusive in determining whether maternal incarceration or paternal incarceration has a more detrimental impact on children. This study looks at a sample of 2,458 youth from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study (FFCWS) and their parents and compares the gender of the incarcerated parent and that of the child to determine if there are differences in the risk of delinquent behavior among adolescent children. Results found that parental incarceration overall increased the risk of juvenile delinquency and that female children are at greater risk of delinquency if their mothers were incarcerated. Overall, the empirical results suggest that the gender of the parent and child matter in influencing delinquent behavior. Because maternal incarceration appears to be more consequential for female daughters' participation in delinquent acts, there may be a need to have more gendered research when studying juvenile delinquency and parental incarceration.

Degree

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Sociology

Rights

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