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Tuesday February 9, 2010

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U.S. Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Suburbanization of Poverty

Elizabeth Kneebone and Emily Garr, January 20, 2010, The Brookings Institution

The Suburbanization of PovertyElizabeth Kneebone and Emily Garr analyze recent American poverty trends, finding that suburbs are now home to the largest and fastest growing poor population in the country. The suburban poor population grew by 25 percent between 2000 and 2008—almost five times faster than cities and 10 points above the national growth rate. Read More

U.S. Poverty, Cities, Labor Markets, U.S. Economy, Regions and States

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Recession’s Impact on Children

Julia B. Isaacs, January 15, 2010, The Brookings Institution

The Recession’s Impact on ChildrenThe impact of the recession on children can be hard to see. Julia Isaacs examines the data and concludes that almost half of unemployed women and one-third of unemployed men are parents with children. Children whose parents are unemployed are at increased risk for experiencing poverty, homelessness and child abuse. Read More

Unemployment, Children & Families, U.S. Poverty, U.S. Economy

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioFamilies of the Recession: Unemployed Parents & Their Children

Julia B. Isaacs and Phillip Lovell, January 14, 2010, First Focus

One in seven American children has an unemployed parent as a result of the "Great Recession." Julia Isaacs and Phillip Lovell examine this issue and conclude that these 10.5 million children are more likely to experience homelessness, suffer from child abuse, fail to complete high school or college, and live in poverty as adults than other children. Read More

Children & Families, Unemployment, U.S. Poverty, U.S. Economy

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Status Report: Obama’s Commitment to Creating Opportunity

Ron Haskins and Isabel V. Sawhill, January 06, 2010, The Brookings Institution

The Status Report: Obama’s Commitment to Creating OpportunityIsabel Sawhill and Ron Haskins give President Obama a composite score of B-, applauding his fast action to create more opportunity in the recession but questioning the sustainability of the measures to help families. Sawhill commends Obama for initiating sound social policy, including attempts to curb teen pregnancy. Haskins raises concerns about balancing new policy with long-term budget constraints. This is the third in a series of reviews of Obama’s first year. Read More

U.S. Economy, U.S. Poverty, Economic Mobility, Education, Children & Families

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe 2010 Reauthorization of Welfare Reform Could Result in Important Changes

Ron Haskins, December 18, 2009, The Brookings Institution

Ron Haskins discusses the future of the welfare reform law of 1996, stating that it is impossible to know what will happen during reauthorization, but for politicians, advocates, reporters, and scholars interested in the fate of the 1996 reforms, getting an understanding of the reforms that seem the most likely to be repealed or modified before the reauthorization debate begins will provide the basis for both intellectual and lobbying action for or against the possible changes. Read More

Welfare, Children & Families, U.S. Economy, U.S. Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Future of Welfare to Work

Ron Haskins, December 09, 2009, House Budget Committee

Ron Haskins testified before the House Committee on the Budget on the issue of how far social policy should go in demanding work. Haskins argued that the current economic situation requires a determination of what changes in federal and state policy would allow states to respond more quickly and completely during the next recession, but without any permanent loosening of the current work requirements. Read More

Welfare, Social Issues, U.S. Economy, U.S. Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioExamining Economic Mobility in America

Ron Haskins and Isabel V. Sawhill, December 03, 2009, Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity

Examining the barriers to economic mobility in America, Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill discuss the alarming unemployment rate and the extent of poverty in America and the distinct challenges facing immigrant families and African-American children. Read More

Children & Families, U.S. Poverty, Unemployment

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioChildren and the Elderly: Not Children or the Elderly

Henry J. Aaron, December 01, 2009, The Brookings Institution

Henry Aaron responds to “Spending on Children and the Elderly: An Issue Brief," arguing that pitting the interests of the elderly and disabled against those of children is politically short-sighted because advocates of public outlays for children and for the elderly have been - and should remain - allies against those who believe that the role of government should be limited to providing for defense and public safety, and little else. Read More

Children & Families, U.S. Economy, Welfare, U.S. Poverty

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioFood Stamps and the Growing Suburban Safety Net

Alan Berube, December 01, 2009, The Brookings Institution

Food Stamps and the Growing Suburban Safety NetSome U.S. counties are seeing double the amount of food stamp recipients coming largely from suburbs. Alan Berube examines the issue, noting that as food stamps become the de facto federal support system for millions of families during the next few years of elevated unemployment, plugging participation gaps in suburbia may be an important new frontier for fighting hunger and poverty in America. Read More

Working Poor, Concentrated Poverty, U.S. Poverty, Inequality, U.S. Department of Agriculture

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioSpending on Children and the Elderly

Julia B. Isaacs, November 05, 2009, The Brookings Institution

According to Julia Isaacs, the United States spends 2.4 times as much per capita on the elderly as on children, with the ratio rising to 7 to 1 if only the federal budget is taken into account. Isaacs compares expenditures on children and the elderly in the United States to that of other countries, and asks whether these spending patterns make sense for the country's long-term welfare from a life-cycle perspective. Read More

Children & Families, Welfare, U.S. Poverty, Intergenerational Equity

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioFive Myths About Our Land of Opportunity

Isabel V. Sawhill and Ron Haskins, November 01, 2009, The Washington Post

Five Myths About Our Land of OpportunityAmericans have always believed that their country is unique in providing the opportunity to get ahead. Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill deconstruct five myths about economic mobility in the United States, saying that we need better policies to help create a true opportunity society. Read More

Economic Mobility, Children & Families, U.S. Poverty, U.S. Economy

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Financial Crisis and Personal Saving

Karen Dynan, October 28, 2009, National Forum to Encourage Lower-Income Household Savings

The current financial crisis has had a great impact on how Americans are saving. In a presentation for the “National Forum to Encourage Lower-Income Household Savings,” Karen Dynan explained that while aggregate personal saving should be markedly higher than before the crisis, it is difficult to predict the level of saving for lower-income households. Read More

U.S. Economy, Saving, U.S. Poverty

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioIs America Really an Opportunity Society?

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Washington, DC

Is America Really an Opportunity Society?On October 27, Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill discussed their new book, Creating an Opportunity Society, which explores what it will take to help more people achieve the American Dream. Read More

U.S. Poverty, Economic Mobility

VIDEO

Save to My PortfolioIs the American Dream a Myth?

Ron Haskins and Isabel V. Sawhill, October 19, 2009

Despite its status as one of the world’s leading economies, the United States is faced with high poverty rates and less economic opportunity than many other affluent countries. Senior Fellows Isabel Sawhill and Ron Haskins, argue that it will take a combination of personal responsibility along with smarter and better-targeted government policies to make the American Dream a reality for children and families now stuck at the bottom.

Children & Families, Income Distribution, Social Norms, Social Issues, U.S. Economic Growth

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Suburbanization of American Poverty

Elizabeth Kneebone, October 19, 2009, Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity

The latest data from the Census Bureau reveal that the first year of the Great Recession boosted American poverty, but Sun Belt metro areas and large suburbs bore the brunt of poverty increases in 2008. Elizabeth Kneebone explores recent city and suburban poverty trends in this Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity article. Read More

U.S. Poverty, 2010 Census , Concentrated Poverty

In Brief

Nearly 20 percent of America’s children–and 13 percent of all Americans–live in poverty. Although the nation has made some progress against poverty, particularly among the elderly and female-headed families, a great deal remains to be done to move people out of poverty and up the ladder towards the middle class.

Featured Experts

Isabel V. Sawhill

Isabel V. Sawhill

Senior Fellow, Economic Studies
The Cabot Family Chair

A nationally known budget expert, Isabel Sawhill focuses on domestic poverty and federal fiscal policy. She is also co-director of the Center on Children and Families at Brookings.
Read More

Julia B. Isaacs

Julia B. Isaacs

Child and Family Policy Fellow, Economic Studies

Julia Isaacs focuses on public investments in children and how children are affected by national budgetary policies. A former federal budget analyst, she also researches the economic mobility of children and families across the income spectrum.
Read More

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Spotlight

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The Center on Children and Families studies policies on the well-being of America's children and their parents and seeks a more effective means of addressing poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity in the United States.

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