Every day more people die in America than are born. Any increases in population since 1972 have been due to immigration.2 The sociological perils we face are not those of population explosion, but population reduction. The Population Research Institute agrees, and concluded, “Our long-term problem is not too many children, but too few children.”3 The legalization of abortion resulted in a drastic reduction of the number of children in this country. By 1980 there were 6.5 million fewer school-age children in America than just a decade earlier. This required the closing of nine-thousand elementary schools.4 Legalized abortion has resulted in over 46 million fewer taxpayers in America to support the elderly.
Even after the signing of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act by Bill Clinton in 1996, which was designed to put people to work while supporting them as they tried to become self-sufficient. This did not go as congress and many others hoped it would. The Government Accountability Office [GAO] stated in 1997 alone, states received 4.7 billion dollars more than they would have without the reform (Pimpare). There was an overwhelming increase in Government spending which started the country down the wrong path for many generations to come! At the turn of the century, the Department of Health and Human Services stated almost fifty percent of the American population received the aid needed (Pimpare).
A change that has happened to childbearing since the 1970's is that over four in ten children are now born outside of marriage, which is five times more than it was in 1971. This means that more children are being born into lone-parent families or cohabilitating families. A reason for this is that there has been a huge decline in the stigma that used to be held over births outside marriage and also a increase in cohabiliatation. An example of this is that only one third of 18-24 year olds think marriage should come before parenthood, meaning that the rise in births outside of marriage is more to do with the increase in cohabilitating couples than it is to do with single parents. Another change that has happened in childbearing since the 1970's is that women are having fewer children and children later in life.
A large number (33 percent) of the poor live in inner cities, the suburbs, small towns, and rural communities. In 2008, one third of the nation's poor lived in suburbs. Myth #4: Most of the poor are single mothers. Of all families living in poverty,51 percent are single mothers and their children, but 40 percent of married-couple families and 9 percent of father-headed households are poor. Myth #5: Most of the poor are older Americans.
The issue is the fact that still, 1 in 5 of these same youth live in very low income households. This is especially of grave concern given that the cost of living has shown a steady increase over the last ten years (Center for Health, “Los Angeles County Services for Transition Age Youth: Programs, Data,and Recommendations”). The report goes on to state that in 2006, the federal poverty level for a family of 4 was $20,444. Yet the California Budget Project announced that the Self-Sufficiency Standard for the same size family is $48,590. Finally, as indicated in the Los Angeles Almanac’s report on “Homelessness in Los Angeles County”, here are some important facts to consider regarding the homeless population in Los Angeles County: 1.
When the great depression started the Wealthy dropped down to the middle class and the people in the middle class dropped down the economic ladder to the poor economic ladder. When the US first went into this depression Herbert Hoover didn’t care about the poor. Herbert cared about the wealthy and the middle class, but did not care about the poor because they were already poor in the Social ladder. When the election came FDR became president.
For example, 14,000 kids have been positively affected by the Michigan Earned Income tax credit, but because it has been cut by 14%, low-income youth are unable to receive the benefits (kidscount). Youth in families that are receiving unemployment are affected because unemployment was cut from 26 weeks to 20 weeks and cash assistance has become more difficult to receive (kidscount). Poverty affects the youth in many ways, such as their family life and education. Many children are neglected in cases of low-income families. 32,500 children have been neglected in 2010, and in Ingham County 42 percent of children have been abused or neglected (milhs.org).
In the 1960’s, mental institutions were viewed as the least popular solution for mental illness. Mainly from a humane stand point and the economic viewpoint were the two main reasons why the Traverse City State Hospital closed. The closings occurred in a sharp wave, starting in the 1960’s and they are still being closed today. Beginning in the early 70’s healthcare costs were rapidly increasing .This was one of the reasons why the 1970’s were the height of deinstitutionalization. In 1993, the community programs served over 170,000 people.
Mariana Alcaraz Mr. Farrely Sociology / Research Paper Poverty In America Poverty In America there are 46.2 million Americans are now leaving in poverty which that is a lot it grew by 2.6 million in just the last 12 months in 2011. The government census reported that is the most they have ever seen based in poverty in America. The U.S Census Breau have reported that the median household income has dropped 2.3 % in 2010 after accounting inflation. They have also determined that based on estimated crimes done in the United States where commited by low-income people. The poorer the people the more they are more likely to commite a crime or go to jail.
Fighting for Survival Welfare, defined as aid to families with dependent children, was created in response to the Great Depression faced by The United States which started in 1929, and lasted around ten years. It is estimated that one quarter of Americans were unemployed during the worst part of the Great Depression. With all of these families suffering, Congress stepped in to help and passed the Social Security Act in 1935 “a result of the Great Depression” (Mojisola & Mitchell 50). This is where welfare as we know it began. In the past few years, the federal and states’ governments have tried to change and improve the welfare system with limited success.