Many issues remain unresolved when considering whether the welfare system perpetuates the poverty of its recipients. The debate often focuses on Blacks. No one considers factors such as the self-defined needs of the target population. Cuts in payment programs may be of some value but are not a panacea. (VM)

Presents findings of a longitudinal study which examined the possible determinants and consequences of repeat pregnancy among economically disadvantaged young mothers. Reports that early subsequent pregnancies are associated with a number of negative short-term consequences in education, employment, and welfare dependency. (KH)

Examines the shift from the Manpower Development and Training Act to the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act and the difference between these programs and the Job Training Partnership Act. Also discusses the training of welfare recipients and setting priorities for the future of such programs. (CT)

Examined income and food and housing expenditures for the last married year for couples and then five years after marital dissolution in female (N=5,000) respondents to the University of Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Results showed that incomes and expenditures for food, but not for housing, dropped after marital dissolution. (LLL)

A study of 265 welfare mothers attending an urban community college found that not only were nearly three-fifths of the group academically successful, but that an older group of mothers (those over age 25) exhibited a high degree of potential for succeeding in and benefiting from college. (Author)

This article reviews effects of exposing rural welfare recipients to traditional rehabilitation center services. The author concludes that traditional rehabilitation services are effective with this type of client. (Author)

Endorsement of the money ethic and the Protestant work ethic among past and present welfare recipients was examined in a study of three groups: 164 current recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC); 159 individuals receiving AFDC while enrolled in various training programs; and 158 past AFDC recipients who are now employed. The…

This paper uses new survey data on employers in four large metropolitan areas to examine the determinants of employer demand for welfare recipients. Data come from a telephone survey of approximately 750 establishments. Results suggest a high level of demand for welfare recipients, although such demand appears fairly sensitive to business cycle…

This report presents key findings from a review of data focusing on child care arrangements among people who have left welfare. Most states have conducted studies of former welfare recipients using administrative data, surveys of welfare leavers, or a combination of the two. Data from these surveys indicate that most people who have left welfare…

U.S.-born children of immigrants may be less likely to receive some social services than are children of native-born immigrants, if foreign-born parents who are themselves ineligible are less likely to apply on their children's behalf. Researchers used retrospective data from a sample of about 2,400 low-income, predominantly Hispanic households in…

This brief examines changes in the number of naturalized citizens in the United States and the rate of naturalization, also exploring the size and characteristics of the pool of immigrants now or soon to be eligible to naturalize. Analysis of data from the Current Population Survey indicates that beginning in the mid-1990s, the number of…

In May 2000, a conference on the rural dimensions of welfare reform and food assistance policy brought together researchers, welfare policy experts, and rural scholars. This issue brief summarizes some major findings of the conference and suggests future policy options to better address the differing needs of rural and urban families. Between 1994…

The dramatic decline in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) caseloads in the 1990s has focused attention on the process of exit from, and, to a lesser extent, entry into, the welfare system. This paper charts the process of turnover in the TANF program in three major U.S. cities over an 18-month, post-PWORA period and documents its…

This report uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study (a nationwide survey that collects data on married and non-married parents at the time of the child's birth) to determine how much marriage could reduce poverty among couples who are not married at the time of birth. To determine the impact of marriage on children's and…

This report examines what states have done with their new responsibilities under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). Although Congress has gone a long way toward undoing the initial immigrant restrictions of the PRWORA, it has left the devolution of authority from the federal government to the states to…