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Children's Prospects and Children's Policy

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Haveman
  • Barbara Wolfe

Abstract

This paper offers some facts on trends in children's economic status in the United States as well as an economic perspective for thinking about public policy toward children. Throughout, we will attempt to make clear what is known and what is not known empirically about the relationships that are embodied in our perspective. We consider whether America is "underinvesting in children"; what type of investments in children would be best; to which children investments should be directed; and whether governments should provide the services directly or whether parents should be given the resources and incentives to better nurture their children. We examine the determinants of children's success and propose a course of action for investing in children.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Haveman & Barbara Wolfe, 1993. "Children's Prospects and Children's Policy," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 7(4), pages 153-174, Fall.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:7:y:1993:i:4:p:153-74
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/jep.7.4.153
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    File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/jep.7.4.153
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hope Corman & Theodore J. Joyce & Michael Grossman, 1987. "Birth Outcome Production Function in the United States," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 22(3), pages 339-360.
    2. Browning, Martin, 1992. "Children and Household Economic Behavior," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 30(3), pages 1434-1475, September.
    3. Robert H. Haveman & Barbara L. Wolfe, 1984. "Schooling and Economic Well-Being: The Role of Nonmarket Effects," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 19(3), pages 377-407.
    4. Case, A.C. & Katz, L.F., 1991. "The Company You Keep: The Effects Of Family And Neighborhood On Disadvantaged Younths," Harvard Institute of Economic Research Working Papers 1555, Harvard - Institute of Economic Research.
    5. Robert J. Lampman & Timothy M. Smeeding, 1983. "Interfamily Transfers As Alternatives To Government Transfers To Persons," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 29(1), pages 45-66, March.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Vignoles Anna F & Powdthavee Nattavudh, 2009. "The Socioeconomic Gap in University Dropouts," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 9(1), pages 1-36, April.
    2. David Madden, 2018. "Bridging the gaps: inequalities in children’s educational outcomes in Ireland," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 16(1), pages 103-122, March.
    3. Robert Haveman & Barbara Wolfe, 1994. "Economic Inactivity of Young Adults: An Intergenerational Analysis," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_107, Levy Economics Institute.
    4. Veronica Jacobsen & Nicholas Mays & Ron Crawford & Barbara Annesley & Paul Christoffel & Grant Johnston & Sid Durbin, 2002. "Investing in Well-being: An Analytical Framework," Treasury Working Paper Series 02/23, New Zealand Treasury.
    5. David S. Lyle, 2006. "Using Military Deployments and Job Assignments to Estimate the Effect of Parental Absences and Household Relocations on Children's Academic Achievement," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 24(2), pages 319-350, April.
    6. Nusrat Farah & Mukti P. Upadhyay, 2017. "How are school dropouts related to household characteristics? Analysis of survey data from Bangladesh," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(1), pages 1268746-126, January.
    7. Assar Lindbeck, 1998. "Incentives in the Welfare State: Lessons for Would-be Welfare States," International Economic Association Series, in: Yair Mundlak (ed.), Contemporary Economic Issues, chapter 1, pages 3-24, Palgrave Macmillan.
    8. Lindbeck , Assar, 1996. "Welfare-State Dynamics," Working Paper Series 474, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    9. Korenman, Sanders & Miller, Jane E. & Sjaastad, John E., 1995. "Long-term poverty and child development in the United States: Results from the NLSY," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(1-2), pages 127-155.
    10. Assar Lindbeck, 1996. "Incentives in the Welfare-State," CESifo Working Paper Series 111, CESifo.
    11. Wolter, Stefan C. & Coradi Vellacott, Maja, 2002. "Sibling Rivalry: A Look at Switzerland with PISA Data," IZA Discussion Papers 594, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Hofferth, Sandra L., 1995. "Caring for children at the poverty line," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(1-2), pages 61-90.
    13. S. Korenman & J. E. Miller & J. E. Sjaastad, "undated". "Long- term poverty and child development in the United States: Results from the NLSY," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1044-94, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty.
    14. Behrman, Jere R., 1996. "Measuring the effectiveness of schooling policies in developing countries: Revisiting issues of methodology," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 345-364, October.
    15. Pekkala, Sari, 2003. "Is Little Brother Nothing but Trouble?: Educational Attainment, Returns to Schooling and Sibling Structure," Discussion Papers 302, VATT Institute for Economic Research.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy

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