NCJ Number
193816
Date Published
1999
Length
107 pages
Annotation
This chapter provides a historical perspective on the changing experiences of children in immigrant families in the United States compared to those in native-born families, as well as on differences across first-generation, second-generation, and later generation children in 1990 regarding socioeconomic and family risk factors and resources and potential risks specific to children in immigrant families.
Abstract
This study used 1910, 1960, and 1990 decennial censuses to examine risk factors following the decade of peak immigration to the United States (1901 to 1910), the subsequent era of very low immigration (1931 to 1960), and the most recent decades of increasing immigration for which census data were available (1970 to 1990). Children generally have been found to be at risk of negative health or educational outcomes if they have family incomes below the poverty threshold, parents with low educational attainments, only one parent in the home, five or more siblings in the home, or overcrowded housing conditions. Children in immigrant families in 1990 were, overall, less likely than children in native-born families to have only one parent in the home; however, they were somewhat more likely to live in poverty or in families with many siblings, and they were much more likely to have parents with very low education attainments. Children from 12 identified countries of origin experienced extremely high risks of living in poverty. Risk levels declined between the first and second generations of immigrants for most countries of origin; however, data available for selected countries suggest that for third-generation and later generation children with origins in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, and perhaps to a lesser extent for children with origins in Central American countries, the risks of living in poverty with parents who had not graduated from high school, in overcrowded housing conditions, and with only one parent remained high. Racial and ethnic stratification may limit the opportunities for children from these countries to assimilate into the mainstream middle class. Further, lack of English fluency can limit effective communication and functioning in health care facilities, schools, and other settings that provide resources essential for children and their families. 59 references and appended data that show data by country for various generations of immigrant children and by race and ethnicity for third generation and later generation children