Layout 1

Chapter 3

began declining later in the 1990s than
rates among black or white teens,and
Hispanic teens currently have the highest
teen birth rate (see Figure 3.6) (Hamilton,
Martin,& Sutton,2004).

Divorce Rate

Thedivorceraterosesharplyinthe1970s
and1980s,butactuallydeclinedslightlyin
thelatterpartofthecentury.Itthen
remainedsteadyuntiltheendofthecentury,
whenitbegantodropslightly(seeFigure
3.2).Itisnolongertruethathalfofall
marriageswilllikelyendindivorce;if
presenttrendscontinue,about4of10

marriageswhichoccurredin2000willend

indivorce.Whilethissoundsencouraging,it

isimportanttoremembertheUnitedStates

stillhasoneofthehighestdivorceratesin

theworld(Worlddivorcestatistics,1996–

2005).

In2003,seventimesmorechildrenwere

affectedbydivorcethanatthebeginningof

the20thcentury(Fields,2003).Children

whocommutebetweenseparatedparents

havebecomecommonplace.Oneintwo

childrenwillliveinasingle-parentfamilyat

somepoint,and1in3childrenarebornto

unmarriedparents(Children’sDefense

Fund,2004).Somecriticsclaimthiscollapse

ofthetraditionalfamilyisagreatercauseof

povertythananyshortcomingsinthe

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

50.8

White

Bir

thper

1000

Fem

ales

Black Hispanic

Race or Ethnic Origin

Total

11.5

112.8

34.9

110.3

48.4

59.9

22.4

1990

2005

Comparison of Birth Rate for 15–18 Year Olds by Race and Ethnic Origin

Source:Hamilton,Martin andVentura,2006

Figure 3.6