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  • Title: Does the family cap influence birthrates? Two new studies say "no".
    Author: Donovan P.
    Journal: Guttmacher Rep Public Policy; 1998 Feb; 1(1):10-1. PubMed ID: 12321446.
    Abstract:
    Some have argued that imposing a cap upon welfare benefits would reduce birthrates among welfare recipients. However, recent studies in New Jersey and Arkansas determined that denying an increase in cash assistance to women who have another child while on welfare has no effect upon births in the states. When New Jersey became the first state, 4 years ago, to impose a family cap, then-governor James Florio declared the cap a success after just 2 months. An analysis by researchers at Rutgers University released in September 1997 disagrees. While birthrates among welfare recipients declined between August 1992 and July 1995, the decline was no different from that observed in a control group which continued to receive a benefit increase if they had another child. Among both groups, and consistent with birthrates in the general New Jersey population, birthrates fell from 11% in 1992-93 to 6% in 1994-95. These results did not change when researchers controlled for the age and race of the almost 8500 women studied. Abortion rates in the state declined both among women subject to the cap and among the control group. Although researchers studying the impact of the family cap in Arkansas could not determine its effect upon abortion rates because Arkansas fails to pay for abortions under Medicaid, no statistically significant difference was observed between the birthrates of women subject to the cap and a control group. The findings of these 2 studies cast doubt upon the notion that an increase in monthly benefits after the birth of a new baby is an incentive for welfare recipients to have more children.
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