Families in Poverty Volume I in the "Families in the 21st Century Series"

by Seccombe, Karen T.; Ferguson, Susan J.

• ISBN13: 9780205502547
• ISBN10: 0205502547
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-10-25
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

Poverty is a social problem, and finding solutions requires us to look closely at our society, laws and social institutions.Families in Povertybrings together the best and most recent quantitative and qualitative data to examine poverty among U.S. families, the problems poor families face, and discusses how solutions to poverty do exist. Some major topics found in the text include: Trends in poverty in the United States; Discussion on how poverty is measured and defined; Critiques on several explanations of poverty; Consequences of poverty on children and adults; Labor market issues such as unemployment, minimum wage, employer-sponsored fringe benefits; Programs in the United States designed to eliminate or red.

Author Biography

Karen Seccombe, Ph.D./MSW, is a sociologist and Professor of Community Health at Portland State University

Table of Contents

Families in the Twenty-First Century	vii
Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	x
About the Author	xi
Putting a Face on Poverty	1	(24)
Dee	1	(6)
What Are Dee's Options?	5	(2)
Kate	7	(6)
Why Is Kate's Family Poor?	11	(2)
Robert and Maria	13	(6)
What Can We Learn from Robert and Maria?	18	(1)
Poverty Is a Structural Problem	19	(2)
Conclusion and Organization	21	(4)
Who Are the Poor, and What Exactly Is Poverty, Anyway?	25	(26)
How Many Are Poor?	26	(5)
Race, Ethnicity, and Poverty	26	(1)
Children in Poverty	27	(1)
Other Parts of the Story	28	(1)
Pearl's Family: Living in Extreme Poverty	29	(2)
How Is Poverty Measured?	31	(8)
Absolute Measures	31	(4)
Poverty Threshold (Lines) vs. Poverty Guidelines	35	(1)
Criticisms of the U.S. Poverty Thresholds (and Guidelines)	36	(1)
Relative Measures	37	(2)
Inequality in Wealth and Income	39	(2)
Social Class	41	(2)
The Upper Class	42	(1)
The Upper Middle Class	43	(1)
The Middle Class	43	(1)
The Working Class	44	(1)
The Working Poor	44	(1)
The Underclass	45	(1)
How Does Social Class Affect Our Lives?	45	(6)
Living Poorly: Poverty's Effects on Children and Their Parents	51	(28)
Carlos	52	(2)
Physical Health	54	(6)
Birth Outcomes	55	(1)
Lead Paint Poisoning	55	(1)
Food Insecurity and Hunger	56	(2)
Access to Healthcare	58	(2)
Cognitive Abilities and School Achievement	60	(2)
Children's Mental Health, Social Adjustment, and Well-being	62	(1)
Consequences for Adults	63	(2)
Pathways	65	(14)
Health and Nutrition	65	(4)
Quality of the Home Environment	69	(2)
Parental Stress and Mental Health	71	(1)
Fewer Resources for Learning	71	(2)
Housing Problems	73	(1)
Poor Quality Neighborhoods	74	(5)
How Americans View Poverty: Why Are So Many Families Poor?	79	(28)
Historical Views About Poverty	80	(8)
Colonial America	80	(1)
The Nineteenth Century	81	(2)
Black Americans	83	(2)
Mexican Americans	85	(2)
Native Americans	87	(1)
Current Views About Poverty	88	(19)
Individualism	89	(5)
Social Structuralism	94	(4)
Culture of Poverty	98	(4)
Fatalism	102	(5)
Welfare and Its Reform: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)	107	(30)
History of Cash Assistance Programs	107	(9)
Mothers' Pensions	108	(1)
Aid to Dependent Children (ADC)	108	(2)
Growing Caseloads and Growing Concerns	110	(1)
The 1960s and the War on Poverty	111	(2)
Precursor to Welfare Reform	113	(3)
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF): ``Ending Welfare As We Know It''	116	(9)
How TANF Works	118	(4)
State Policies and State Variation	122	(2)
Other TANF Policies and Regulations	124	(1)
What Do Welfare Recipients Think of Welfare Reform?	125	(3)
How Is TANF Working? Research Findings	128	(9)
Poverty Rates Among Families That Leave TANF Are Very High	130	(1)
Families That Left Welfare Recently Are More At Risk Than Early TANF-Leavers	130	(2)
Families Leaving Welfare Are More Likely to Have Significant Health Problems	132	(2)
A Large Share of Very Poor and Needy Families Do Not Receive TANF	134	(1)
Childcare Assistance Is Crucial to Helping Families Move from Welfare to Work	134	(3)
Building Resiliency: Programs and Policies for Families	137	(26)
Family Resiliency	137	(3)
Individual, Family, and Community Factors	138	(2)
What Is Missing? Structural Conditions	140	(1)
Food Stamp Program	140	(6)
Eligibility	142	(1)
Characteristics of Food Stamp Households	143	(1)
Inadequacy of Food Stamps	144	(2)
Health Insurance	146	(9)
The Stress of Being Uninsured	148	(3)
Medicaid	151	(1)
State Plans: The Oregon Health Plan	152	(1)
SCHIP	153	(1)
Medicare	154	(1)
Head Start	155	(2)
The Earned Income Tax Credit	157	(1)
Social Security	158	(5)
Can Poverty Be Eliminated? Lessons We Could Learn	163	(20)
Reasons for High Poverty in the United States	164	(4)
Comparative Family Policies	168	(12)
Family Allowance	169	(2)
Childcare Policies	171	(4)
Maternity and Parental Leaves	175	(5)
Case Study: France	180	(3)
Conclusion	183	(2)
References	185	(22)
Index	207