The problem of widespread illegitimacy will only widen and deepen until it is addressed
By Grok
In 2023, approximately 3.6 million babies were born in the United States, averaging about 9,852 births per day.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/01/12/birth-rate-data-trend-us-world/76770741007
https://apnews.com/article/how-many-babies-are-born-us-25d99f438645908e5ed6ae29d3914b89
Given the 40% illegitimacy rate, about 60% of the approximately 9,852 daily births in the U.S. in 2023 would be considered legitimate. This translates to roughly 5,911 legitimate births per day.
With a 40% illegitimacy rate, approximately 40% of the 9,852 daily births in the U.S. in 2023 would be considered illegitimate. This translates to roughly 3,941 illegitimate births per day.
Data on the percentage of the U.S. prison population born out of wedlock is limited and not consistently tracked by recent, reliable sources. However, older studies and reports provide some insight. A 1987 Bureau of Justice Statistics "Survey of Youth in Custody" found that 70% of inmates did not grow up with both parents, often implying single-parent or out-of-wedlock households. A 1994 study of Wisconsin juveniles reported only 13% grew up with married parents, suggesting a high rate of illegitimacy among juvenile offenders. A 2002 Department of Justice survey noted 39% of jail inmates lived in mother-only households, which may align with out-of-wedlock births.
More recent data is scarce, but a 2012 analysis estimated 55% of state and federal prisoners did not live with both parents while growing up, though this doesn’t directly confirm illegitimacy. The lack of current, comprehensive statistics makes it difficult to provide a precise percentage. Based on available information, estimates suggest 50-70% of inmates may come from single-parent or out-of-wedlock backgrounds, but this is not definitive and varies by study.
https://familyinequality.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/how-many-prisoners-grew-up-with-both-parents