This book contains 17 papers devoted to the following four aspects of the transition to adulthood: effects of alterations in the structure of opportunity; effects of prior experiences in the family; effects of prior experience in the workplace; and career development and marriage formation during a period of rising inequality. The following papers are included: "How Has the Changing Structure of Opportunities Affected Transitions to Adulthood?" (Martha S. Hill, W. Jean Yeung); "Twenty-Something: Down and Out in the Other America" (J. Lawrence Aber); "Alterations in the Opportunity Structure: A Criminological Perspective" (John H. Laub); "Sure, I'd Like to Get Married...Someday" (Lynn White); "How Do Prior Experiences in the Family Affect Transitions to Adulthood?" (Kelly Musick, Larry Bumpass); "Marital Conflict, Parent-Child Relationships, Gender, and Outcomes for Young Adults in Families" (Martha Cox); "Family Inputs and the Transition to Adulthood" (Ronald R. Rindfuss); "Values and Beliefs as Determinants of Outcomes in Children's Lives" (William G. Axinn, Jennifer S. Barber, Arland Thornton); "How Do Prior Experiences in the Workplace Set the Stage for Transitions to Adulthood?" (Jeylan T. Mortimer, Carolyn Harley, Pamela J. Aronson); "What Work Fosters Adolescent Development?" (Stephen F. Hamilton); "Rethinking the Young Adult Life Stage: Prolonged Dependency as an Adaptive Strategy" (William S. Aquilino); "Having the Time of Their Lives: All Work and No Play?" (D. Wayne Osgood); "Career Development and Marriage Formation in a Period of Rising Inequality: Who Is at Risk? What Are Their Prospects?" (Valerie K. Oppenheimer, Alisa Lewin); "When History Is Omitted" (John Modell); "Sequence and Timing among Young Adult Transitions: The Impact of Poverty on Developmental Course" (Julia A. Graber); "Changing Marital Patterns: Consequences of Economic Distress?" (Sheldon Danziger); and "Conclusion: The Economies of Young Adulthood--One Future or Two?" (Jennifer Tanner, Scott Yabiku). Most papers include substantial bibliographies. (MN)