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Cited by 711Criminal Justice and Corrections AnalysisLabor market dynamics and wage inequalityIntergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies

The Impact of Incarceration on Wage Mobility and Inequality

Western, Bruce·2002·American Sociological Review
DOI 10.1177/000312240206700403
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Abstract

A life course perspective on crime indicates that incarceration can disrupt key life transitions. Life course analysis of occupations finds that earnings mobility depends on stable employment in career jobs. These two lines of research thus suggest that incarceration reduces ex-inmates’ access to the steady jobs that usually produce earnings growth among young men. Consistent with this argument, evidence for slow wage growth among ex-inmates is provided by analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Because incarceration is so prevalent—one-quarter of black non-college males in the survey were interviewed between 1979 and 1998 while in prison or jail—the effect of imprisonment on individual wages also increases aggregate race and ethnic wage inequality.

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Crossref · 10.1177/000312240206700403

Cites

52 of 52 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Once an individual has been involved in the criminal justice system, numerous consequences occur that often negatively impact their education, employment, and income opportunities.

    “once an individual has been involved in the CJS, numerous consequences occur that often negatively impact their education, employment, and income opportunities (Pettit & Western, 2004; Western, 2002).”

    From Adult Outcomes of Justice Involved Indigenous Youth (2023) · cites this paper as Western, 2002

  • Involvement in the criminal justice system results in diminished educational and employment opportunities and lower socioeconomic status.

    “It results in diminished educational and employment opportunities, lower socioeconomic status (SES) (Pettit & Western, 2004; Western, 2002), negative mental and physical health outcomes (Massoglia & Pridemore, 2015; Schnittker et al., 2012), family instability (Wakefield & Wildeman, 2014), and substance use/abuse (Bath et al., 2018).”

    From Adult Outcomes of Justice Involved Indigenous Youth (2023) · cites this paper as Western, 2002

  • Native people face patterned and structural inequalities in carceral system involvement.

    “Finally, relatedly -and most importantly for this synthesis of literature, Native people face patterned and structural inequalities in carceral (or”

    From Indigenous Carceral System Inequalities in the US: A Synthesis of the Literature About the Nature and Sources (2025) · cites this paper as Western 2002

  • Incarceration is associated with limited future employment opportunities and earnings potential.

    “In particular, incarceration is associated with limited future employment opportunities and earnings potential (Freeman 1987; Western 2002)”

    From The Mark of a Criminal Record (2003) · cites this paper as Western 2002

  • If ex-offenders queue for lower-quality jobs, incarceration effects would be more likely to show up in estimates of earnings and job security rather than employment probabilities as measured here.

    “If this is the case, incarceration effects would be more likely to show up in estimates of earnings and job security, rather than employment probabilities as measured here (see Western 2002).”

    From The Mark of a Criminal Record (2003) · cites this paper as Western 2002

Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 15

  1. Blumstein Alfred, 1999, Crime and Justice: Prisons, 26, 17
  2. Boggess Scott, 1997, Social Science Quarterly, 78, 725
  3. Bushway Shawn David, 1996, “The Impact of a Criminal History Record on Access to Legitimate Employment.”
  4. Center for Human Resource Research., 2000, National Longitudinal Study of Youth, 1979–1998 [MRDF].
  5. Duneier Mitchell, 1999, Sidewalk.
  6. Freeman Richard B., 1992, Urban Labor Markets and Job Opportunity, 201
  7. Gilliard Darrell K., 1999, Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear, 1998.
  8. Hagan John, 1999, Crime and Justice: Prisons, 26, 121
  9. Heckman James, 1989, The Question of Discrimination, 50
  10. Irwin John, 1994, Its About Time: America's Imprisonment Binge.
  11. LaLonde Robert J., 1986, American Economic Review, 76, 604
  12. Office of the Pardon Attorney, 1996, Civil Disabilities of Convicted Felons: A State-by-State Survey.
  13. 10.2307/799046 · DOI
  14. Tonry Michael, 1995, Malign Neglect.
  15. Wright Erik Olin, 2000, Boston Review, 25, 6

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Authors
Western, B.
Affiliations
Princeton University (US)
Corresponding author
Western, Bruce
ORCID
Western, Bruce
Venue
American Sociological Review
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2002-08
Volume
67
Issue
4
Pages
526-546
ISSN
  • 0003-1224 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-8271
DOI
10.1177/000312240206700403
OpenAlex
W2318746079
Cited by
711
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 47 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 39 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 44 · 2014: 48 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 42
FWCI
37.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
American Sociological Review (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Labor market dynamics and wage inequality
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies
Keywords
incarceration, wage mobility, wage inequality, former prisoners, job stability, racial wage gap, Black men, National Longitudinal Survey of Youth

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