Related Experiment Videos
The juvenilization of poverty in the 1980s
1College of Social Work, Ohio State University, Columbus, 43210-1162.
Social Work
|September 1, 1991
Summary
Child poverty in the US rose in the 1980s due to economic shifts affecting young and female-headed families. Social services were cut, necessitating advocacy for children experiencing poverty.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Economics
- Public Policy
Background:
- Child poverty rates declined in the US through the 1970s.
- The 1980s saw a significant reversal of these positive trends.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the factors contributing to the rise in child poverty during the 1980s in the United States.
- To examine the impact of structural economic changes and social service provision on child economic well-being.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of economic trends and poverty rates among children in the US during the 1980s.
- Examination of the effects of structural economic changes on family economic status.
- Assessment of social services provision in relation to increasing child poverty.
Main Results:
- The poverty rate for children increased during the 1980s after decades of decline.
- Young families and female-headed households were disproportionately affected by economic changes.
- Social services did not expand and were often reduced despite the rise in child poverty.
Conclusions:
- Structural economic changes and inadequate social services exacerbated child poverty in the 1980s.
- The "juvenilization of poverty" demands a focus on poverty as a core issue for social work.
- Social workers must adopt advocacy roles to address systemic factors contributing to child poverty.