Family, Income and Crime University of Montevideo Sept. 28, 2006 Patrick F. Fagan The Heritage Foundation

The Five Institutions

Note: Figures do not include transferred income.

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Impact of Divorce on Income of Families 10,000 Before DivorceAfter Divorce 20,000 30,000 40,000 $50, Average Annual Income Source: Corcoran and Chaudray, Unpublished Research Paper, Survey Research Center, University of Michigan, May 1994 Family Status

Schema: Having Vs Belonging in the US

EDUCATION

Grade Point Average 2.5 Intact Married Parents Cohabiting Parents Step Parents Source: National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health Wave 1, 1995 Family Structure Always Single Parents Divorced Parents Grade Point Average (Out of Maximum of 4.0) 2.4

School Expulsion Source Add Health Wave II 1996

ABUSE, First CRIME, Later

In Britain, a Child Whose Biological Mother Cohabits was 33 Times More Likely to Suffer Serious Abuse than a Child with Married Parents 5 Biological Parents Married Mother Married to Stepfather Biological Mother Alone Biological Parents Cohabiting Source: Robert Whelan, Broken Homes and Broken Children, Family Structure Biological Father Alone Biological Mother Cohabiting Comparative Risk Ratios for Serious Abuse,

In Britain, a Child Whose Biological Mother Cohabits was 73 Times More Likely to Suffer Fatal Abuse than a Child with Married Parents 5 Biological Parents Married Mother Married to Stepfather Biological Mother Alone Biological Parents Cohabiting Source: Robert Whelan, Broken Homes and Broken Children, Family Structure Biological Father Alone Biological Mother Cohabiting Comparative Risk Ratios for Serious Abuse,

Runaway Children in UK 0% Step-Families Lone-parent Families Two-parent Families Percentage of children running away overnight before the age of 16 10%5%15%20%25%

CRIME CITIZENSHIP

Problem Behaviors of Children by Parents’ Marital Status 2 Lied About Something Important Stole from a Store Damaged School Property Source: National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health Wave 2, 1996 Hurt Someone Enough to Need a Doctor Drunk Had to Bring Parents to School Skipped School without Permission Divorce Intact Marriage

Adolescent Cocaine Use By Family Structure Source Add Health Wave II 1996

Source: C. Harper and S. McLanahan, “Father Absence and Youth Incarceration,” ASA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, August Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.

HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH

Adolescents in Poor Health by Family Structure Source: The National Longitudinal Study of AddHealth, Wave II (1996) PA58

SEXUALITY AND MARRIAGE

THE CULTURE

“Rejection/Ambivalence Ratio” for Every 100 Children Born Children Aborted Children of Divorce Children born out of Wedlock Source: National Center for Health Statistics data and Alan Guttmacher Institute data

Schema: Having Vs Belonging in the US

Choice is “the causation under our control” Intergenerational consequences of choice in family issues and behaviors. Teaching our children to be their own cause Two paths on sexuality : Monogamy or Not The way we treat sexual intercourse structures society

Marriage Makes a Difference Especially if children are to reach their potential But also for the family’s income --- But income is endogenous to family structure On every outcome measured the cohort of children from intact married families does best..always, everywhere.

The nation thrives to the degree families are intact. The nation pays to the degree they are not. Rejection weakens; belonging strengthens Especially rejection or belonging between mother and father.

Congress saw the need to restore marriage in 1996 But punted to the states.. Oklahoma took it up Congress acted on teenage Out of Wedlock Births Introduced and financed Abstinence Education Programs Feds now have 2 sex education policies

5 Tasks Institutions Family / Sex Affection Church / Worship School / Education Government/ Citizen Marketplace/ Income

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The End Is To Belong