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In cities where single parenthood is the norm, child poverty and violent crime are high

In cities where single parenthood is the norm, child poverty and violent crime are high

The city of Springfield, Ohio, has gained unwanted notoriety lately, but Springfield and other Ohio cities have real problems that have nothing to do with dubious claims about barbecued pets. In these cities, the majority of children under 18 are raised by single mothers (either never married or divorced/separated) who do not live with their children’s fathers or stepfathers.

In Springfield, for example, during the five-year period from 2018 to 2022, only 44% of mothers were married and living with their husbands and children. In Cleveland it was just 33%. In Youngstown, 32%; in Cincinnati, however, 46%. In contrast, in the suburban community of Cleveland Heights, 63% of mothers were married, while in New Albany, Ohio, 91% were married. In Ohio overall, 68% of mothers were married and living with their husbands and children.1

Missing fathers and child poverty

Child poverty rates are high in Ohio cities where single mothers are the norm rather than the exception. In Springfield, a third of all children lived in families below the official poverty line between 2018 and 2022. In Youngstown it was half; in Cleveland 46%; while in Cincinnati a third. On the other hand, the child poverty rate was 19% in Cleveland Heights, where married parents are more common, and 4% in New Albany. For Ohio as a whole, the child poverty rate was 18%.

Figure 1 shows the inverse relationship between the percentage of married mothers and the child poverty rate in 17 cities in Ohio. For every 10 percentage point decrease in the share of married mothers, the share of poor children in the city increases by 7.5 percentage points. As shown in the graphic, a linear relationship between the two variables accounts for 98% of the differences in child poverty in these jurisdictions.

There are several reasons for higher child poverty rates in Ohio cities with large numbers of unmarried mothers. Many non-resident parents (usually the children’s biological fathers) provide little or no financial support to their offspring. Single mothers struggle to work outside the home while caring for children, especially young children. Government assistance programs such as food stamps tend to expire quickly as family income increases, creating a disincentive to work. Without shared residence or a shared custody agreement, single mothers cannot benefit from the sharing of child care and work responsibilities that most married couples practice.

Additionally, single mothers tend to have lower levels of education than married mothers in general.2 reduce their earning potential.3 But even when parental education, child age, and race and ethnicity are controlled for, children in broken families are more likely to be poor than in married families.4

Absent fathers and violent crime

Ohio cities where single parent families are the norm are also characterized by high violent crime rates. In Springfield, for example, 1,298 incidents of violent crime were reported to police per 100,000 residents in 2023. In Cleveland there were 1,895 incidents; in Cincinnati, 800; while in Youngstown it was 699. In contrast, the violent crime rate in Cleveland Heights, where married parents are again more common, was 267 in 2023 and in New Albany it was 99. The violent crime rate for Ohio as a whole was 294 in 2022.

Figure 2 shows the inverse relationship between the percentage of married mothers and violent crime rates in 17 Ohio cities in 2023. As the percentage of married mothers declines, violent crime rates increase exponentially. As shown in the graph, a curvilinear relationship between the two variables accounts for 84% of the differences in violent crime rates in these jurisdictions.

Why are violent crime rates so high in Ohio cities where unmarried mothers are the majority? There are several reasons for this. Single-parent families with children tend to move frequently and live in unsafe areas due to family disruption.5 This makes them more vulnerable to becoming victims of property and violent crimes.

After separating from their child’s other parent, a single parent usually begins dating and tries to find a new partner. This process often involves leaving the house at night, sometimes inadequate supervision of children, and exposing them to strange (and sometimes dangerous) men. As children become adolescents, their peers often get into trouble in their less than ideal neighborhoods and schools and can involve them in dangerous situations and activities. And children in single-parent families are more likely than children in two-parent families to have a father or sibling with a criminal record.

Many single mothers go to great lengths and make personal sacrifices to ensure that their offspring do not become victims or perpetrators of violent crimes, and most succeed in keeping their children safe and out of trouble. But research continues to show that the best form of home safety and crime prevention is a stable marriage with a father in the home.

Political regulations that can make things worse

Ohio is certainly not the only state with cities where single parenthood is common and where child poverty and violent crime are high. Unfortunately, popular policy recommendations to support families with children and reduce child poverty, if implemented, may make the situation worse rather than better. Most of these regulations are about giving money to new parents or even all parents of young children, regardless of whether the parents are married, graduated from high school, or have a history of substance abuse, child abuse or neglect, mental illness, or criminal activity had behavior. While the intention is to reduce child poverty, the unintended consequence may be to reduce motivation for careful and responsible parenting.6

Instead of giving money to new parents, it seems wiser to make efforts to have public schools in Ohio and other states better educate their students about the importance of marriage before the birth of a child to the success of a parental relationship and the future well-being of the child Children. More students may earn diplomas and learn about the dangers of teenage pregnancy. But they do not seem to be sufficiently aware of the benefits of marriage, especially for children.

Nicholas Zill is a research psychologist and senior fellow at the Institute for Family Studies. He directed the National Survey of Children, a longitudinal study that provided widely cited insights into children’s life experiences and adjustments following parental divorce.

1. US Census Bureau and National Center for Education Statistics, American Community Survey 2018-2022.

2. In the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health, 68% of children with married biological parents had a parent with a college degree or more, compared to 29% of children living with single mothers. 16% of children of married biological parents had a high school education or less, compared to 45% of children of single mothers. (P

3. In the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health, only 1.3% of children with married biological parents did not have a working parent, compared to 24.7% of children living with single mothers whose mothers were not working.

4. In the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health, children in broken families had a 2.53 higher risk of living in poverty than children living with married biological parents, after controlling for the child’s race and Hispanic origin, age, gender and educational level of parents. (P

5. More frequent moves: In the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health, the average frequency with which a child living with married biological parents moved since birth was 1.25, while the average frequency with which children living with single mothers moved was 1.25. moved since birth was 2.12. 41% of children with married biological parents have not moved since birth, compared to 26% of children with single mothers. Six percent of children with married biological parents have moved five or more times since birth, compared to 17% of children with single mothers who have moved that many times (p) Unsafe Neighborhoods: In the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health, 69% of Children with married biological parents lived in neighborhoods that the parent described as “definitely safe,” compared to 56% of children living with single mothers whose mothers said the same about their neighborhood. 3% of children of married biological parents lived in neighborhoods described as “fairly safe.” or “definitely insecure” compared to 9% of children of single mothers (p<.0001/>

6. For example, in 2022, Medicaid paid for 73% of births to white teenagers; 85% of births are to black teenagers; and 73% of births are to Hispanic teens. (National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 73, No. 2, April 4, 2024. Table 19.)