Longitudinal Associations among Child Support Debt, Employment, and Recidivism after Prison

Bibliographic Data

ID2143802
AuthorsNathan W Link (0000-0002-2763-2011, Temple University, corresponding author), Caterina G Roman (0000-0002-4506-4206, Temple University)
Year2017
Volume58
Issue1
Pages140-160
Publication date2017-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociological Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0038-0253 • E-ISSN: 1533-8525
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00380253.2016.1246892
OpenAlexW2599944166
LanguageEN
Citations received20
References cited37

Recently released prisoners in the United States are increasingly facing the burden of financial debt associated with correctional supervision, yet little research has pursued how—theoretically or empirically—the burden of debt might affect life after prison. To address this gap, we employ life course and strain perspectives and path analysis to examine the impact of child support debt on employment and recidivism, using longitudinal data from an evaluation of a prisoner reentry program known as the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative. Results indicate that having more debt has no effect on recidivism; however, more debt was significantly associated with a decrease in later legitimate employment. Implications for community reintegration and justice processing are discussed within the framework of past and emerging work on legal financial obligations, employment, and desistance from crime after prison

Actuarial science · Business · Criminal justice · Criminology · Debt · Demographic economics · Economic Justice · Economics · Political science · Prison · Recidivism · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Finance · Homelessness and Social Issues · Law · Psychology · Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending