ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book analyzes how the federal government defines poverty and identifies the poor. It also examines the demographics of American poverty. The book documents the high rate of poverty among children, racial and ethnic minorities, female headed families, and the poorly educated. It also explores one of the major patterns identified by our analysis of the demographics of poverty the growth of single parent families. The book analyzes some of the major theories that try to explain poverty in rich America. It also examines contemporary efforts to reform the American welfare system, efforts that culminated in the passage of Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation (PRWORA) in 1996. The book examines the reasons and implications of huge declines in welfare use, the extent to which states have been successful in engaging welfare recipients in work.
