Trends in Deep Poverty from 1968 to 2011: The Influence of Family Structure, Employment Patterns, and the Safety Net

RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences

Christopher Wimer¹  Irwin Garfinkel²  Neeraj Kaushal²  Jane Waldfogel²  JaeHyun Nam²  Liana Fox³ 

[1] Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia School of Social Work;Columbia School of Social Work;Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University;

关键词: historical poverty trends;    antipoverty programs;    historical Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM);   

DOI  :  10.7758/RSF.2015.1.1.02

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This paper examines the changing face of deep poverty in the United States over the past fifty years and the role of family structure, employment patterns, and governmental taxes and transfers in explaining these trends. Using a newly developed historical measure of poverty based on the Census Bureau's supplemental poverty measure, we find that deep poverty rates have been fairly constant over the past fifty years, both overall and for families with children. In view of changes in family structure and government policy over this period, the intransigence of deep poverty is surprising. However, this overall stability obscures changes in the demographics of individuals and families in deep poverty, as well as the role of government policy. Governmental transfers reduce the risk of deep poverty for all subgroups examined, but the significance and the role of these programs have changed over time.

【 授权许可】

Unknown