This paper examines the dynamics of poverty. Previous analyses of dynamics of poverty have either examined only fluctuations in the male head of family's earnings or looked at the frequency of poverty periods over a fixed time frame. A more appropriate way to understand the dynamics of poverty is to define spells of poverty. Using this…

Using longitudinal survey data on the retirement experience of men, researchers provide insights on the economic situation of families in which the major breadwinner is retired. (JOW)

Most women who maintain families have a strong commitment to the labor force but have lower average educational attainment and earnings, bringing them closer to poverty with each additional child. (JOW)

Explores roles of class differences and economic status in household structure. Provides some evidence of between-group differences in family structure, partially attributable to differences in economic status. Concludes that the importance of economic status may be offset by other factors, including family social and emotional support needs, and…

A growing number of families are headed by single women. A longitudinal study was conducted to identify major goals of these women. Data from mailed questionnaires and telephone interviews were collected from 136 divorced women. Results from the first year of the study revealed the goal most often identified by the women was financial…

This report details findings of the Intergovernmental Relations and Human Resources Subcommittee concerning the strengths and weaknesses of current and proposed Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) work programs for promoting self-sufficiency among poor women; the role of support services such as day care; successful innovations in State…

A crisis exists in the black family today due to the high unemployment of black men, the high separation rates of parents, the dramatic increase in the number of unwed mothers, and the subsequent heading of nearly one-half of black families by women. There is nothing necessarily wrong with being raised in a home with a single mother. Biographies…

States that changes in the economy, employment, family composition, and social attitudes now compel more Black women into howeownership. Reports that homeownership by Blacks prevents urban blight and gives Blacks more political power. Provides sources of information on mortgage credit and redress for discrimination. (Author/WP)

Discusses the possibilities for homeownership by female heads of household, taking into consideration recent demographic trends, income, sex discrimination, mortgage financing, and the continuing surge of housing costs and interest rates. Special federal housing programs are helping only a few women to purchase homes. (CT)

An analysis of recently published census data suggests that gender, race, and ethnicity strongly affect poverty rates. However, parenthood interacts with gender in such a way as to affect only women and to affect white women more than blacks and Hispanics. Competing arguments regarding public policy to alleviate such problems are considered.…

This paper considers the rising phenomenon of one-parent, female-headed households in Georgia, identifies family service needs of these families, and explores availability of services. Female-headed families account for 16.4% of all families in Georgia, making it second-highest in the nation. From 1970 to 1980, the number of female-headed families…

The genocide in Rwanda has resulted in that country having many child-headed households. This unusual phenomenon has set Rwanda apart from its neighboring countries. This book of photographic portraits and stories of Rwandan children and adolescents in families living without adult support or supervision conveys the complexity and diversity of…

Argues that blacks have been disproportionately undercounted in the census and this undercount has resulted in such biased statistics as proportions of black female-headed households, victimization rates of black males, or crude death rates of blacks. Further, these statistics are biased upward and downward, and together they generate distorted…

The problem of discrimination against families within the context of changing sex roles and the growing diversity of family structure is discussed in this paper. It begins with an analysis of underlying social trends, then focuses on sex discrimination and discrimination against different family types and concludes with an interpretation of…

Faulty laws, unfair practices, and years of tradition in the workplace keep women from economic equality. The Economic Equity Act proposed by Congress will address inequalities in tax and retirement matters, the need for better dependent care, nondiscrimination in insurance, regulatory reform, and child support enforcement. (IS)