Educational backgrounds of incarcerated women differ from study to study, proportionate to the rest of the country; incarcerated women possess lower levels of educational attainment when they enter prison. Approximately 56% of women incarcerated in state prison entered without a high school diploma. Prior research on urban prisons indicates…

Adolescent pregnancy is a problem of many dimensions. Young mothers have a greater probability of health problems during pregnancy than women of any other age group except those over age 40. Pregnancy is also the greatest single reason why females drop out of school. Federal legislation provides funds for the establishment of networks of…

Findings in this report summarize the first phase of a larger, multi-year study that is combining qualitative and quantitative methods to outline a conceptual framework to guide future demographic/fertility research, pregnancy prevention programs and policies. Twelve focus groups--involving a multiculturally representative group of male and female…

This paper examines some probable reasons for the black adolescent male's contribution to increased pregnancy in the black community. Using a situation analysis, it presents the following testable suppositions: (1) black males' fear of retribution for impregnating a girl has diminished, leading to increased sexual intercourse and ultimately to…

To reduce the risks of adolescent pregnancy, comprehensive sex education programs and programs that reduce the risks indirectly by focusing on educational expectations and achievement are needed. Adolescents who do well in school and see education as a route to adult success have a reason to delay childbearing. (SLD)

This document gives information about teenage pregnancy and related issues. The document is divided into 10 sections and then further subdivided into components. The components contain prose summaries with statistical charts. Section 1, Sexuality Activity and Marriage, provides data on trends in premarital sex and marriage rates for black and…

The purpose of this article is to describe young adolescents' perceptions of romantic relationships, ratings of important romantic partner characteristics, and acceptability of sexual activity with romantic relationships. Fifty-seven eighth-grade participants (average age = 13.8 years) from one urban US public middle school completed an anonymous…

This report summarizes three bodies of research on teenage pregnancy and programs to reduce the risk of teenage pregnancy. Studies included in this report were completed in 1980 or later, conducted in the United States or Canada, targeted adolescents, employed an experimental or quasi-experimental design, had a sample size of at least 100 in the…

Reviews the problem of adolescent pregnancy/early childbearing, discussing some of the most common misconceptions about the issue as well as some of the reasons why this problem is of major concern. Suggests some possible solutions. Provides information on a number of resources that could be useful to professionals and parents. (Author/ABL)

Teen romantic relationships have become a pervasive part of popular culture, from TV shows, movies, and books to blogs and social networking sites. But the attention paid to these relationships extends beyond the parameters of popular culture. Romance, teen style, has become of increasing interest to anyone concerned with healthy adolescent…

Students (N=697) from 20 schools in Missouri who identified themselves as not having had sex were surveyed. Results show the most frequent reasons for not having sex were related to fears of pregnancy and diseases. The least frequent reasons were related to problems concerning the cost and availability of birth control and protection. (Author/MKA)

When it comes to the reproductive health behaviors of teens and young adults, far more public attention has focused on women than on men. That's not surprising. After all, men don't actually have the babies. Yet the importance of understanding men's reproductive health behaviors should not be overlooked, given their potential implications for men…

Objective: To describe patterns and reasons of attendance and young people's views of the drop-in service. Design: Analysis of a prospective database, questionnaire survey and qualitative interviews and discussions. Setting: Sexual health drop-in clinics in 16 secondary schools (including three pupil-referral units) in deprived areas of a city in…

This special issue of the "Family Life Educator" features a planning document on adolescent pregnancy prevention designed to assist communities throughout the United States in translating the National Research Council's recommendations and strategies from the "Risking the Future" study into steps for future action. An introduction provides a…

Adolescent pregnancy and parenthood have become increasingly important public policy issues in recent years for many reasons, including concerns about their prevalence, about the economic and social problems faced by young mothers and their children, and about the budgetary effects of adolescent parents' reliance on public assistance programs.…