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Spatial variation in poverty-generating processes: Child poverty in the United States
Katherine J Curtis1, Paul R Voss, David D Long
1Department of Community and Environmental Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, United States; The Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, Department of Sociology and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Applied Population Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
Social Science Research
|September 29, 2012
Summary
Child poverty varies by location due to local social and economic factors. Understanding these geographic differences is key for effective anti-poverty policies.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Geography
- Economics
Background:
- Child poverty exhibits spatial differentiation across U.S. sub-regions.
- Existing research indicates varied processes contributing to poverty at local levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the role of local social attributes (racial/ethnic composition, economic structure) in child poverty.
- To resolve inconsistencies in poverty research by examining spatial inequality.
- To analyze spatial differentiation in the relationships generating child poverty.
Main Methods:
- Utilized county census data for analysis.
- Employed spatial regime and spatial error regression techniques.
- Focused on social characteristics of local areas.
Main Results:
- Local-area processes significantly influence child poverty rates.
- Spatial differentiation in poverty-generating relationships was confirmed.
- Racial/ethnic and economic contexts are critical factors.
Conclusions:
- Findings support nuanced theoretical models of poverty.
- Anti-poverty policies should consider systematic, context-specific differences.
- Geographic place and its social characteristics are crucial for understanding child poverty.
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