Christine Carter McLaughlin and Kristin Luker
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781861346780
- eISBN:
- 9781447304272
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781861346780.003.0002
- Subject:
- Sociology, Marriage and the Family
This chapter discusses the emergence of teenage pregnancy as a social problem in the US, paradoxically at a time when teenage pregnancy is declining. It presents statistical data on adolescent birth ...
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This chapter discusses the emergence of teenage pregnancy as a social problem in the US, paradoxically at a time when teenage pregnancy is declining. It presents statistical data on adolescent birth rate, teenage pregnancy rate and abortion rate; these sets of data indicate that the fall in teenage pregnancy is most likely due to improved contraceptive use rather than a corresponding decrease in the frequency of intercourse among sexually experienced teenagers. This chapter also discusses the sociological explanations of teenage pregnancy, as well as the current policy initiatives that have been put in place to help adolescent mothers. The discussions in this chapter further indicate that the ideology of welfare dependency has prevented the development of comprehensive policy responses to teenage pregnancy.Less
This chapter discusses the emergence of teenage pregnancy as a social problem in the US, paradoxically at a time when teenage pregnancy is declining. It presents statistical data on adolescent birth rate, teenage pregnancy rate and abortion rate; these sets of data indicate that the fall in teenage pregnancy is most likely due to improved contraceptive use rather than a corresponding decrease in the frequency of intercourse among sexually experienced teenagers. This chapter also discusses the sociological explanations of teenage pregnancy, as well as the current policy initiatives that have been put in place to help adolescent mothers. The discussions in this chapter further indicate that the ideology of welfare dependency has prevented the development of comprehensive policy responses to teenage pregnancy.
Joy G. Dryfoos
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- November 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780195072686
- eISBN:
- 9780197560259
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780195072686.003.0008
- Subject:
- Education, Care and Counseling of Students
Once a young person experiences coitus, she or he acquires “risk status.” Unquestionably, young people who are not sexually active are not at risk of pregnancy, unless they are forced to have sex ...
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Once a young person experiences coitus, she or he acquires “risk status.” Unquestionably, young people who are not sexually active are not at risk of pregnancy, unless they are forced to have sex (which is not a rare event). However, once the decision is made to initiate sexual activity, risk of pregnancy is high for those who do not use contraception consistently. And since no contraception is 100 percent effective, an unplanned pregnancy may occur. Once pregnant, a young woman must decide whether to carry the pregnancy to term. She may decide to have an abortion, if that option is available to her. If a child is born, the mother may decide to give the child up for adoption. While this series of decisions seems relatively straightforward, there is little consensus in our society about how to intervene at any point along the way and prevent the negative consequences. Differing perceptions of the problem shape the range of solutions. One set of conflicts centers on the morality of premarital sex. Some people believe that the only response to the issue of adolescent pregnancy is to promote abstention. Others believe that premarital sexual activity has become a normative behavior and, therefore, interventions should focus on teaching responsible sexual behavior and providing access to contraception. A second set of conflicts is focused on the abortion issue. Once pregnant, should a girl be required to maintain the pregnancy and encouraged to put the baby up for adoption if she cannot care for it, or should she be assisted to obtain an abortion if that is what she wants? We can turn to many sources of data to gain insights into these questions. The problem of adolescent pregnancy has received a great deal of attention over the past decade and numerous studies have been produced from which we can learn about the antecedents, prevalence, and consequences of early sexual activity, contraceptive use, and pregnancy among teenagers.
Less
Once a young person experiences coitus, she or he acquires “risk status.” Unquestionably, young people who are not sexually active are not at risk of pregnancy, unless they are forced to have sex (which is not a rare event). However, once the decision is made to initiate sexual activity, risk of pregnancy is high for those who do not use contraception consistently. And since no contraception is 100 percent effective, an unplanned pregnancy may occur. Once pregnant, a young woman must decide whether to carry the pregnancy to term. She may decide to have an abortion, if that option is available to her. If a child is born, the mother may decide to give the child up for adoption. While this series of decisions seems relatively straightforward, there is little consensus in our society about how to intervene at any point along the way and prevent the negative consequences. Differing perceptions of the problem shape the range of solutions. One set of conflicts centers on the morality of premarital sex. Some people believe that the only response to the issue of adolescent pregnancy is to promote abstention. Others believe that premarital sexual activity has become a normative behavior and, therefore, interventions should focus on teaching responsible sexual behavior and providing access to contraception. A second set of conflicts is focused on the abortion issue. Once pregnant, should a girl be required to maintain the pregnancy and encouraged to put the baby up for adoption if she cannot care for it, or should she be assisted to obtain an abortion if that is what she wants? We can turn to many sources of data to gain insights into these questions. The problem of adolescent pregnancy has received a great deal of attention over the past decade and numerous studies have been produced from which we can learn about the antecedents, prevalence, and consequences of early sexual activity, contraceptive use, and pregnancy among teenagers.
Charles J. Krebs
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- September 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226010359
- eISBN:
- 9780226010496
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226010496.003.0003
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
Rodents are well known for their high rates of reproduction. A vole population with an adult weight of 30 grams would increase fivefold over a year while an 80-gram lemming would increase about three ...
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Rodents are well known for their high rates of reproduction. A vole population with an adult weight of 30 grams would increase fivefold over a year while an 80-gram lemming would increase about three times. This chapter discusses the role that changes in reproductive rates plays in causing changes in rodent population growth rates, and four key parameters which affect population growth rates: sexual maturity, length of breeding season, litter size, and pregnancy rate.Less
Rodents are well known for their high rates of reproduction. A vole population with an adult weight of 30 grams would increase fivefold over a year while an 80-gram lemming would increase about three times. This chapter discusses the role that changes in reproductive rates plays in causing changes in rodent population growth rates, and four key parameters which affect population growth rates: sexual maturity, length of breeding season, litter size, and pregnancy rate.
Elaine B. Sharp
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780816677085
- eISBN:
- 9781452947976
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Minnesota Press
- DOI:
- 10.5749/minnesota/9780816677085.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
Until recently, policy evaluation has mostly meant assessing whether government programs raise reading levels, decrease teen pregnancy rates, improve air quality levels, lower drunk-driving rates, or ...
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Until recently, policy evaluation has mostly meant assessing whether government programs raise reading levels, decrease teen pregnancy rates, improve air quality levels, lower drunk-driving rates, or achieve any of the other goals that government programs are ostensibly created to do. Whether or not such programs also have consequences with respect to future demands for government action and whether government programs can heighten—or dampen—citizen involvement in civic activities are questions that are typically overlooked. This book applies such questions to local government. Employing policy feedback theory to a series of local government programs, the book shows that these programs do have consequences with respect to citizens’ political participation. Unlike other feedback theory investigations, which tend to focus on federal government programs, this book looks at a broad range of policy at the local level, including community policing programs, economic development for businesses, and neighborhood empowerment programs. The book suggests that local governments’ social program activities actually dampen participation of the have-nots, while cities’ development programs reinforce the political involvement of already-privileged business interests. Meanwhile, iconic urban programs such as community policing and broader programs of neighborhood empowerment fail to enhance civic engagement or build social capital at the neighborhood level; at worst, they have the potential to deepen divisions—especially racial divisions—that undercut urban neighborhoods.Less
Until recently, policy evaluation has mostly meant assessing whether government programs raise reading levels, decrease teen pregnancy rates, improve air quality levels, lower drunk-driving rates, or achieve any of the other goals that government programs are ostensibly created to do. Whether or not such programs also have consequences with respect to future demands for government action and whether government programs can heighten—or dampen—citizen involvement in civic activities are questions that are typically overlooked. This book applies such questions to local government. Employing policy feedback theory to a series of local government programs, the book shows that these programs do have consequences with respect to citizens’ political participation. Unlike other feedback theory investigations, which tend to focus on federal government programs, this book looks at a broad range of policy at the local level, including community policing programs, economic development for businesses, and neighborhood empowerment programs. The book suggests that local governments’ social program activities actually dampen participation of the have-nots, while cities’ development programs reinforce the political involvement of already-privileged business interests. Meanwhile, iconic urban programs such as community policing and broader programs of neighborhood empowerment fail to enhance civic engagement or build social capital at the neighborhood level; at worst, they have the potential to deepen divisions—especially racial divisions—that undercut urban neighborhoods.
