Baltimore Teens and Work

Abstract

In this article, I explore how African American teens, all of whom spent some years in high-poverty neighborhoods in Baltimore, talk about their experiences looking for work and working, including under-the-table work. I find three patterns that shape these early employment experiences. First, before males and females are legally allowed to work, their money-making opportunities are largely gender-segregated, with boys in this sample more likely to use illegal means to make money. Second, gender-segregated routines and occupations may work in favor of females. Finally, as nearly all of these households are female-headed, girls have a same-sex role model from whom they can pattern their behavior. To the extent that the mother is working, this may encourage females to work more so than males.