Description
The social problem/issue (Poverty)
Identify a social problem/issue you would like to address.
Describe the context—historical and/or contemporary—of society’s perception and approach to this social problem/issue.
What current research (including facts and statistics) supports the need to address the social problem/issue?
The policy
- Identify a specific policy that addresses the selected social problem/issue.
- Describe the historical context of the policy.
- Briefly provide enough detail about the social, economic, and political circumstances that inspired action.
Include reputable references/resources to support current updates, implementation, and/or changes related to the policy.
The population and programs
Identify the population served by the policy.
- What qualifies a client for inclusion in the policy?
- What successful or widely accepted programs have come out of the policy?
In practice
- What role(s) do social workers play in the success of the program?
- Does the policy work in practice as intended? Why or why not?
Does the policy achieve its goals?
Social change
Does the policy contribute to social justice? How? If not, explain how or why it does not contribute to social justice.
- Identify opportunities for improvement in the policy.
- Explain how you would go about improving the policy.
- Sources
You must reference a minimum of eight scholarly references, which may include electronic government documents and reputable websites.
Your reference list should appear on a separate page, and it is not included in the 5- to 8-page requirement.
Explanation & Answer
View attached explanation and answer. Let me know if you have any questions.
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The Social Problem/Issue: Poverty
Student’s Name(s)
Course Details
Instructor’s Name(s)
Institutional Affiliation(s)
Date
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The Social Problem/Issue: Poverty
Poverty represents the state of lacking the means for achieving or satisfying
individuals’ basic needs. It is deducible that poverty can be identified as the lack of sufficient
resources essential for minimum living standards. Studies acknowledge poverty as the state
or condition characterized by deprivation (severe) of the basic needs of the human beings,
such as food, safe drinking water, sanitation, education, health, education, housing or shelter,
and information (Gordon & Nandy, 2016). Gordon and Nandy (2016) establish that poverty
is a global concern as it leaves populations threatened and unable to enjoy their rights while
participating as members of society. With the vast globalization and increased connectivity of
the diverse global systems, there is no need for the persons in the 21st century to starve, lack
clean drinking water, appropriate sanitation, and access to healthcare, education, and
information.
Studies acknowledge that poverty occurs in two core dimensions, which include
absolute poverty (deprivation of the minimum resources or necessities for survival) and
relative poverty (severe income inequality) (Papaioannou, 2016). Over the years, the poverty
aspect adopted multiple facets in the United States has shown profound changes in levels. For
example, Fay (2021) ascertains that the poverty rate in the United States was nearly 22% in
the 1950s, approximated to 40 million Americans, which later declined to 11.1% in 1973,
rose to 15% in 1983, 1993, and 2011 before setting at 10.5% in 2019. However, recent
statistics by the U.S. census bureau indicate that the poverty rate will be 11.4% in 2020,
translating to 37.2 million persons living in poverty and an increase of nearly 3.3 million
people from 2019 (Shrider et al., 2021). Shrider et al. (2021) confirm high poverty levels for
persons under 18, 18 to 64, and at the household level.
Sufficient evidence confirms the need to address poverty as a social problem affecting
all populations. Studies indicate the racial aspect of poverty in the United States, confirming
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the income inequality as a core factor steering poverty and difference among the races; the
African Americans exhibit the highest poverty levels of 19.5% compared to the 8.2%, 17.0%,
and 8.1% for the non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic and Asians, respectively as of 2020.
McCarty (2016) confirms that poverty, especially child poverty is a pressing issue in the
United States, associated with the growing income inequalities and social immobility.
Nevertheless, race stands an integral place in terms of the poverty rates, with the African
American children experiencing the highest levels of poverty, translated to the
disproportionate burden of poverty in the United States (McCarty, 2016). Nevertheless,
despite the slow influence of the anti-poverty interventions, the economic security programs
are the identifiable approaches in the contemporary United States applied to alleviate poverty
and associated inequities (Trisi & Saenz, 2021).
The Policy: U.S. Social Security
Studies acknowledge that numerous policies support poverty alleviation in the United
States through their various programs (Berger et al., 2018). A core policy in the United States
for alleviating or addressing poverty is the U.S. social security, primarily signed by President
Franklin Roo...
