EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES AMONG YOUNG BLACK MEN:

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EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES AMONG YOUNG BLACK
MEN TRENDS, CAUSES AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS Harry
J. Holzer Georgetown University The Urban
Institute September 2005
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Trends in Employment and Labor Force Participation

• Data Current Population Survey ORG, 1979-2000
• Samples Men Aged 16-24 and 25-34
• Nonenrolled/Noninstitutional
  
• High School Education or less
• Key Finding Low Levels and Secular Decline in
  Employment for Young Black Men

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Causes of Trends Earlier Literature

• Skill Premia, Declining Wages for
  UnskilledPersistent DiscriminationSpatial
  Mismatch, Weakening Informal NetworksFatherless
  Families, Poor NeighborhoodsGrowing
  Participation in Crime

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Causes of Trends The 1990s

• 1) Rising Numbers of Ex-Offenders
• 2) Child Support Enforcement
• Likely Effects on Employers, Workers Incentives
• Evidence from Holzer, Offner and Sorensen (2005)

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Policy Implications

• 1) Early Academic Preparation and Skill
  Development
• Pre-K
• K-8
• High School Years Academic plus Occupational
  Training and Work Experience (Career Academies,
  etc.)
• 2) Early Training and Work Experience
• Programs Job Corps, Youth Service Corps, etc.
• Local Youth Systems
• Emphasis on Private Sector Training and
  Intermediaries
• 3) Incentives to Work EITC, Minimum Wages

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• 4) Reentry of Ex-Offenders into Society and Labor
  Market
• Pre-Release Employment Activities
• Post-Release Transitional Supports
• Review of Legal Barriers
• Better Use of Tax Credits and Bonding
• 5) Child Support
• Default Orders
• Arrearage Forgiveness
• Pass-Through of Collections to Families
• Fatherhood Efforts