The Contingent Effects of Fatherhood on Offending

• In Event: Parenting, Parental Relationships, and Life-Course Outcomes

Abstract

A growing body of research assesses the relationship between fatherhood and desistance. Qualitative studies typically find fatherhood reduces offending, especially substance use; yet, quantitative studies have produced mixed findings. Guided by life course theory, this study hypothesizes that fatherhood affects certain kinds of offending and fatherhood’s suppressive effects on offending are most pronounced among fathers who reside with their child. To test our hypotheses, NLSY97 data are employed along with fixed-effects regression analyses to estimate the relationship between fatherhood and offending, while controlling for time-varying and time-stable competing factors.
Analyses revealed fatherhood is associated with reductions in both drug and alcohol use, and these effects are considerably stronger among residential fathers in comparison to non-residential fathers. However, fatherhood is not meaningfully related to violent or property offending. Last, residential fatherhood, but not fatherhood generally or non-residential fatherhood, is associated with reductions in arrest. These results confirm the findings of qualitative research in that fatherhood, particularly residential fatherhood, reduces substance use. The responsibilities of fatherhood appear incompatible with substance use and substance using lifestyles. However, fatherhood does not appear to serve as a constraint to more opportunistic and emotional/situational kinds of offenses like property and violent offenses.

Authors

• Monica Landers, University of South Florida

• Ojmarrh Mitchell, University of South Florida

• Melissa Morales, University of South Florida