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Using contemporary, nationally representative longitudinal survey data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, with sequence analysis and regression methods, this paper examines how various forms of criminal justice contact, including arrest and incarceration in jail and prison, are associated with labor market participation and a variety of employment outcomes, including weeks worked, wage, job satisfaction, and shift scheduling. Specifically, the paper examines the stability of labor market participation and employment over time using sequence analysis methods. It estimates monthly and yearly associations among arrest, incarceration in jails and prisons, labor market nonparticipation, and various employment outcomes using fixed effects regression analyses. It also uses propensity score matching models to estimate longer term associations (from the late 20s to mid 30s) between criminal justice contact, labor market participation, and employment outcomes.

Research Questions

• What are the experiences of criminal justice contact (arrest and incarceration in jail and prison), labor force participation, and employment over time among young adults ages 18 to 36?
• How is criminal justice contact associated with monthly and yearly changes in labor force participation and labor market experiences?
• How is criminal justice contact in early life (by age 27) associated with subsequent labor force participation and labor market experiences from age 28 to 36?

Citation

Sugie, N. F., Chan, K. (2018). University of California, Irvine. Criminal Justice Contact, Labor Force Participation, and Employment Among Young Adults. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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This study was part of the Department of Labor Scholars Program, and was produced outside of CEO’s standard research development process.