Young Disadvantaged Men: Fathers, Families, Poverty, and Policy

September 2009, University of Wisconsin–Madison

This conference brought together scholars and policymakers to examine strategies for reducing barriers to marriage and father involvement, designing child support and other public policies to encourage the involvement of fathers, and coping with fathers who have multiple child support responsibilities. Representatives of the Obama Administration were in Madison to respond to the ideas put forth at the conference.

IRP hosted this working conference in coordination with the Center for Research on Fathers, Children and Family Well-Being and the Columbia Population Research Center, at Columbia University. Tim Smeeding, Ron Mincy, and Irv Garfinkel organized the conference and co-edited a conference volume. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is also providing financial support for this conference.

Conference papers are available in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, Vol. 635 (May 2011): “Young Disadvantaged Men: Fathers, Families, Poverty, and Policy.” Special Editors Timothy M. Smeeding, Irwin Garfinkel, and Ronald E. Mincy.

Co-sponsoring contributors:

Papers presented at the conference:

Welcome and Overview: Introductions to the Future of Low-Income Men, Fathers, Families, Poverty and Policy
Irwin Garfinkel and Ronald Mincy, Columbia University and Timothy Smeeding, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Chair: Timothy Smeeding

Session I: Substantive but Descriptive Surveys of the Fatherhood Situation
Chair: Timothy Smeeding

The Deterioration in the Labor Market Fortunes of Young Men in the U.S. and Its Consequences for Family Formation, Family Well Being, and the Future Economic Well Being of Children: No Country for Young Men?
Andrew Sum, with Ishwar Khatiwada, Joseph McLaughlin, and Sheila Palma, Northeastern University

Young Disadvantaged Men as Fathers
Lawrence Berger and Callie Langton, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Young Disadvantaged Men as Partners
Laura Tach and Kathryn Edin, Harvard University

Low-Income Men and Fathers' Influences on Children
Marcia Carlson and Katherine Magnuson, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Discussants: Alford Young, University of Michigan; Devah Pager, Princeton; Frank Furstenberg, University of Pennsylvania

Session II: Policy Perspectives: Helping Families by Helping Low-Income Men
Chair: Irwin Garfinkel

Child Support: Responsible Fatherhood and the Quid Pro Quo
Maria Cancian, Daniel Meyer, and Eunhee Han, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Improving Education and Employment for Disadvantaged Young Men: Proven and Promising Strategies
Carolyn Heinrich, University of Wisconsin–Madison and Harry Holzer, Georgetown University

Incarceration and Prisoner Reentry in the U.S.
Steven Raphael, University of California, Berkeley

Policies that Strengthen Fatherhood and Family Relationships: What Do we Know and What Do We Need to Know?
Virginia Knox, Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC), Philip A. Cowan, University of California at Berkeley, Carolyn Pape Cowan, with Elana Bildner

Income Support Policies for Low-Income Men and Noncustodial Fathers: Tax and Transfer Programs
Ronald Mincy, Serena Klempin, and Heather Schmidt, Columbia University

Chair: Ronald Mincy

Discussants – Martha Coven, Special Assistant to the President for Mobility and Opportunity, White House Domestic Policy Council, EEOB, Sheri Steisel, National Conference of State Legislatures, and David Pate, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Closing Remarks
Irwin Garfinkel and Ronald Mincy, Columbia University and Timothy Smeeding, University of Wisconsin–Madison