Final answer:
Lower rates of adolescent employment since the mid-1990s can be attributed to multiple factors, including a potential misunderstanding of the impact of minimum wage laws on teen job opportunities, shifts in the types of activities that teens engage in like community service and internships, and broader changes in the workforce and demographics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The causes of lower rates of adolescent employment since the mid-1990s include various factors. Firstly, it is a misconception that higher minimum wage laws universally reduce job opportunities for teens; it has been suggested that increasing minimum wages may not significantly affect employment levels because the additional labor costs could be passed on as price increases. Additionally, teens today are engaged in other activities such as community service and internships that provide them with valuable experience and may be more aligned with their long-term aspirations or educational commitments. Furthermore, changes in technology, the growth of the temporary worker industry, and demographic shifts, like the aging baby boomer population, have all influenced employment trends and the structure of the workforce in general.