Citation
Bryan, Brielle (2016).
Paternal incarceration and adolescent social network disadvantage. ICPSR.
Abstract
This paper explores the relationship between paternal incarceration and the structure and quality of adolescents’ social networks. Previous research suggests that the composition of adolescents’ social networks is important for exposing them to, or insulating them from, disadvantageous peer relationships and providing social support during a critical developmental period. Recent studies on the collateral consequences of incarceration have explored the implications of parental incarceration for children’s behavioral problems, academic achievement, health, and housing stability, but none have yet examined the social networks of these children. Using network data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, I find that children of recently incarcerated fathers have more disadvantaged social networks than other adolescents: they have fewer friends, are more socially isolated, and are connected to less advantaged, less academically successful and more delinquent friends than their peers. These differences are robust to a variety of specifications and are generally consistent across race and gender subgroups. This adolescent social network disadvantage sheds new light on the young adult behavioral differences previously observed among children of incarcerated parents and reveals a new way in which mass incarceration may promote social exclusion.
URL
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/files/membership/publications/bulletin/2016-special.pdfReference Type
Report
Book Title
ICPSR Bulletin
Author(s)
Bryan, Brielle
Editor(s)
Knight-Ingram, Dory
Year Published
2016
Volume Number
36
Pages
26-69
Edition
Special Edition
Publisher
ICPSR
Reference ID
9062
Miscellaneous
3
