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Poverty

Poverty. Chapter 9, Section 3. What is it?. Poverty= standard of living that is below the minimum level considered adequate by society. Poverty differs from country to country. Approximately 11% of the U.S. population live below the poverty level.

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Poverty

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  1. Poverty Chapter 9, Section 3

  2. What is it? • Poverty= standard of living that is below the minimum level considered adequate by society. • Poverty differs from country to country. • Approximately 11% of the U.S. population live below the poverty level. • Poverty level= minimum annual income needed by a family to survive. • Calculated by the Dept. of Agriculture’s minimum nutritional diet cost x3. • Do you only need just food to survive?

  3. American Poverty- Broken down by characteristics • Age • Children have the largest percentage in poverty (<18 years poverty rate = 35%) • Sex • 57% of the poor are women. • Women head about 50% of poor households • Race and Ethnicity • African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to live in poverty • African Americans have poverty rates almost two times as high as for the US as a whole.

  4. The Effects of Poverty • Life chances= the likelihood that individuals have of sharing in the opportunities and benefits of society. • Health • Length of life • Housing • Education • Life expectancy= average # of years a person born in a given year can expect to live.

  5. Behavioral patterns differ as well… • Divorce rates higher in low-income families • Greater likelihood of being arrested for committing violent crimes • Also means that poor people are more likely to be the victims of crime.

  6. Government Responses • Lower poverty rates for elderly individuals • Implementation of social welfare programs • Transfer payments= redistribution of money collected through taxes to groups that provide monetary public assistance. • Examples: Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) • Government subsidies= transfer of goods and services rather than cash. • Examples: Food Stamp program, free and reduced lunch, Medicaid • Creation of a ‘welfare class’= those relying on government assistance for income rather than working. • Welfare reform began in 1996 limited time for certain assistance programs • However, nearly 1/3 of those who left welfare were back on within 2 years

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