Abstract

This study aims to identify the impact of income constraints and time allocation on child delinquency. Growing up from infant to adolescent, parent’s decisions are a major factor in shaping a child’s outcomes. Income provides resources such as academic help, extra-curriculars and other social engagements. Time also allows child engagement in extra-curriculars, positive or negative parent-child relationships and child development. The National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS), used in household research, are surveys collected to gather information on the labor market and other significant life events of men and women. I hypothesize that high levels of income and more time allocated to a child will lower the chance of them engaging in delinquent activity. A Cobb-Douglas production function is used to mathematically shows this potential relation. The multivariate equation takes in a consideration of the marital status of a household because of the chance a two-parent home can bring in two incomes and double the time. The empirical results provide preliminary evidence that after considering multiple household variables with time and income, there is not a particular type of support that decreases a child’s ability to engage in delinquent activity.

Advisor

Krause, Brooke

Department

Business Economics

Publication Date

2025

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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