By age 30, between 68 and 75 percent of young men in the United States, with only a high school degree or less, are fathers. This volume provides practical, policy-driven strategies to address the national epidemic of disadvantaged young fathers and the challenges they face in raising and supporting their children. National experts discuss the issues of immediate concern to those working to reconnect disengaged dads to their children and improve child and family economic and emotional well-being. Each chapter was presented at a working conference organized by Institute for Research on Poverty director, Tim Smeeding (University of Wisconsin-Madison), in coordination with the Columbia University School of Social Work's Center for Research on Fathers, Children, and Family Well-Being, directed by Ronald Mincy, and the Columbia Population Research Center, directed by Irwin Garfinkel. The conference brought together scholars, many in public policy, to examine strategies for reducing barriers to marriage and fathers' involvement, designing child support and other public policies to encourage the involvement of fathers, and addressing fathers who have multiple child support responsibilities. This volume will appeal to researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners dedicated to improving the lives of low-income families and children.

Introduction: Young Disadvantaged Men: Fathers, Families, Poverty, and Policy - Timothy M. Smeeding, Irwin Garfinkel, and Ronald B. MincySUBSTANTIVE/DESCRIPTIVE SURVEYS OF FATHERHOODNo Country for Young Men: Deteriorating Labor Market Prospects for Low-Skilled Men in the United States - Andrew Sum, Ishwar Khatiwada, Joseph McLaughlin, and Sheila PalmaYoung Disadvantaged Men as Fathers - Lawrence M. Berger and Callie LangtonThe Relationship Contexts of Young Disadvantaged Men - Laura Tach and Kathryn EdinLow-Income Fathers' Influence on Children - Marcia J. Carlson and Katherine A. MagnusonComment: Reactions from the Perspective of Culture and Low-Income Fatherhood - Alford A. Young Jr.Comment: Young Disadvantaged Men: Reactions from the Perspective of Race - Devah PagerComment: How Do Low-Income Men and Fathers Matter for Children and Family Life? - Frank F. Furstenberg Jr.POLICY PAPERSChild Support: Responsible Fatherhood and the Quid Pro Quo - Maria Cancian, Daniel R. Meyer, and Eunhee HanImproving Education and Employment for Disadvantaged Young Men: Proven and Promising Strategies - Carolyn J. Heinrich and Harry J. HolzerIncarceration and Prisoner Reentry in the United States - Steven RaphaelPolicies That Strengthen Fatherhood and Family Relationships: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know? - Virginia Knox, Philip A. Cowan, Carolyn Pape Cowan, and Elana BildnerIncome Support Policies for Low-Income Men and Noncustodial Fathers: Tax and Transfer Programs - Ronald B. Mincy, Serena Klempin, and Heather Schmidt