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Money matters: Does the minimum wage affect child maltreatment rates?

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  • Raissian, Kerri M.
  • Bullinger, Lindsey Rose

Abstract

Research has consistently demonstrated that children living in low-income families, particularly those in poverty, are at a greater risk of child maltreatment; however, causal evidence for this relationship is sparse. We use child maltreatment reports from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System: Child File from 2004 to 2013 to investigate the relationship between changes in a state's minimum wage and changes in child maltreatment rates. We find that increases in the minimum wage lead to a decline in overall child maltreatment reports, particularly neglect reports. Specifically, a $1 increase in the minimum wage implies a statistically significant 9.6% decline in neglect reports. This decline is concentrated among young children (ages 0–5) and school-aged children (ages 6–12); the effect diminishes among adolescents and is not significant. We do not find that the effect of increases in the minimum wage varies based on the child's race. These findings are robust to a number of specifications. Our results suggest that policies that increase incomes of the working poor can improve children's welfare, especially younger children, quite substantially.

Suggested Citation

  • Raissian, Kerri M. & Bullinger, Lindsey Rose, 2017. "Money matters: Does the minimum wage affect child maltreatment rates?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 60-70.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:72:y:2017:i:c:p:60-70
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.09.033
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    11. Bullinger, Lindsey Rose & Raissian, Kerri M. & Feely, Megan & Schneider, William J., 2021. "The neglected ones: Time at home during COVID-19 and child maltreatment," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    12. Sprague-Jones, Jessica & Singh, Pallavi & Rousseau, Mallory & Counts, Jacqueline & Firman, Casandra, 2020. "The Protective Factors Survey, 2nd Edition: Establishing validity and reliability of a self-report measure of protective factors against child maltreatment," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    13. Poon, Kean, 2020. "The impact of socioeconomic status on parental factors in promoting academic achievement in Chinese children," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    14. Keddell, Emily & Davie, Gabrielle & Barson, Dave, 2019. "Child protection inequalities in Aotearoa New Zealand: Social gradient and the ‘inverse intervention law’," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 1-1.
    15. Metzler, Marilyn & Merrick, Melissa T. & Klevens, Joanne & Ports, Katie A. & Ford, Derek C., 2017. "Adverse childhood experiences and life opportunities: Shifting the narrative," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 141-149.
    16. Smith, Brenda D. & Kay, Emma Sophia & Womack, Bethany G., 2017. "How can county-level maltreatment report rates better inform child welfare practice?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 341-347.
    17. Cai, Julie Yixia, 2021. "Earnings instability and child protection: Evidence from state administrative data," SocArXiv y825p, Center for Open Science.
    18. Sanders, Jane E. & Fallon, Barbara, 2018. "Child welfare involvement and academic difficulties: Characteristics of children, families, and households involved with child welfare and experiencing academic difficulties," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 98-109.
    19. Bennett, Davara L. & Webb, Calum J.R. & Mason, Kate E. & Schlüter, Daniela K. & Fahy, Katie & Alexiou, Alexandros & Wickham, Sophie & Barr, Ben & Taylor-Robinson, David, 2021. "Funding for preventative Children’s Services and rates of children becoming looked after: A natural experiment using longitudinal area-level data in England," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    20. Wan, Guowei & Wang, Miao & Chen, Sitao, 2019. "Child abuse in ethnic regions: Evidence from 2899 girls in Southwest China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 1-1.
    21. Straatmann, Viviane S. & Jackisch, Josephine & Brännström, Lars & Almquist, Ylva B., 2021. "Intergenerational transmission of out-of-home care and the role of mental health problems: Findings from Stockholm birth cohort multigenerational study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    22. Feely, Megan & Seay, Kristen D. & Loomis, Alysse M., 2019. "Harsh physical punishment as a mediator between income, re-reports and out-of-home placement in a child protective services-involved population," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 70-78.

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