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Deadbeat Dads or Inept States?

Author

Listed:
  • Irwin Garfinkel

    (Columbia University)

  • Cynthia Miller

    (Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation)

  • Sara S. McLanahan

    (Princeton University)

  • Thomas L. Hanson

    (University of California, Riverside)

Abstract

This article provides information on the effectiveness of state child support enforcement systems. We use individual level datafrom the Child Support Supplements of the Current Population Sur veys (1978-1992) to create an index of state effectiveness that captures success at securing child support awards, setting award levels, and collecting obligations. We identify states that were performing above or below the national average in the late 1980s to early 1990s and states that showed substantial improvement or decline in child support effectiveness during the 1980s. Identifying successful states will help researchers to determine what policies and practices are associated with successful enforcement. These variations in state effectiveness also suggest that low levels of child support are not due to deadbeat dads alone but also to inept states.

Suggested Citation

  • Irwin Garfinkel & Cynthia Miller & Sara S. McLanahan & Thomas L. Hanson, 1998. "Deadbeat Dads or Inept States?," Evaluation Review, , vol. 22(6), pages 717-750, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:evarev:v:22:y:1998:i:6:p:717-750
    DOI: 10.1177/0193841X9802200602
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sanders Korenman & David Neumark, 1991. "Does Marriage Really Make Men More Productive?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 26(2), pages 282-307.
    2. Thomas Hanson & Irwin Garfinkel & Sara Mclanahan & Cynthia Miller, 1996. "Trends in child support outcomes," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 33(4), pages 483-496, November.
    3. Irwin Garfinkel & Donald Oellerich, 1989. "Noncustodial Fathers’ Ability to Pay Child Support," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 26(2), pages 219-233, May.
    4. I. Garfinkel & P. K. Robins, "undated". "The relationship between child support enforcement tools and child support outcomes," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1004-93, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty.
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    Cited by:

    1. Robert D. Plotnick & Irwin Garfinkel & Sara S. McLanahan & Inhoe Ku, 2007. "The impact of child support enforcement policy on nonmarital childbearing," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 79-98.
    2. Chien-Chung Huang, 2001. "The Impact of Child Support Enforcement on Nonmarital and Marital Births: Does It Differ by Racial and Age Groups?," JCPR Working Papers 246, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
    3. Lauren M. Rich & Irwin Garfinkel & Qin Gao, 2007. "Child support enforcement policy and unmarried fathers' employment in the underground and regular economies," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 791-810.

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