POVERTYChapter 9 Section 3

DEFINITIONS OF POVERTY

Definition is complex. •Economic Condition: Income housing and standard of living.Lack of Basic needs: food, clothing, shelter•Self Definition: sate of mind (Happiness), better off than previous generation.•Subsistence Level Income: $ needed to survive •Poverty is Relative: poverty in the USA vs. other nations

FACTS AND FIGURES

Poverty Threshold for family of four based on statistics from the U.S. Government

$9,287 1981$16,895 1999$17,463 2000$21,200 2007$22, 162 2010$23,050 2012

                 

             

                                                   

                                            

                            

 

 

 

 

THE EXTENT OF POVERTY

1985 33.1 million 14%2001 31.1 million 11.3%2005 37 million 12.6%2009 43.6 million 14.3%2011 46.2 million 15%

60% live in large urban areasGovernment programs led to decrease. What patterns do you see in the chart?

AMERICAN POVERTY

3a.) Age: children under the age of 18 make up about 35% of all the people who live in poverty.

Sex: about 57% of the poor are women. Women head about one half of all poor families ( all races).

Race and Ethnicity: 1985- 12.1 % white, 28.4% Hispanic, 35.7 % African American

2000- 9.4% white, 21.2% Hispanic, 22.1% African American

Combine sex and race most vulnerable groups in American SocietyOther Factors: Sick or disabled, uninsured, environment, single with children, temporarily jobless, small farmer, discrimination, lack of education, death of a spouse, where you live.

THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY & GOV. RESPONSES

2.)Life Chances: health (higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, pneumonia, and tuberculosis)Why?

length of life (life expectancy)housing and education

Vary by social class. The lower the class, the less opportunity to share in the benefits of society.

Behavior: increased divorce rate, crime rates, crime victim.

3b.)GovernmentMixed results for government programs.Elderly: social security, Medicare.

Social Welfare Programs: 1.) Transfer payments- redistribute funds among various segments of society. Supplemental Security Income (SSI)Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)2.) Subsidies, which transfer goods rather than cash. Food stamps, housing, school lunches, and Medicaid.