The Problem Of Poverty In The United States

The poverty situation is getting worse and worse every day in the United States, millions of people are currently living in the streets and in poor circumstances. America is considered to be the most developed and richest contry in the world and yet is a major issue in this country amongst people who are part of the lower class because American families always had a hard time making ends meets this problem is getting in inferior quality every day and nothing is being done about it. This problem is being blamed on the system and social programs like welfare and others. Poverty in America may not be as bad as some countries, yet it is time people focus on solving this before it gets out of hand. The reason why this topic is relevant to explore is because not everyone is aware of the current situation of poverty in the U.S, the focus of this paper is to describe and examine the common causes of poverty in our society. Poverty is something we should be concern about because poverty is a disgraceful and unjust condition that leads people into wasted lives in most cases into criminal activities. The poor community deserves our sympathy and charity.

Individuals who currently live in poverty are not dispersed throughout any state or across the entire nation. Economic conditions generate limited options for residents in these poorer regions, there is several key factors that contribute to Poverty The central causes of poverty in America are stereotyping, separation from social activities, lack of knowledge, employment skills, and education. The most commonly known cause of poverty is the loss of jobs. Most people see the problem as insolute There are several ways that poverty can be prevented. More jobs should be offered, and the income should be able to support their basic needs. “The future of the U.S. poverty rate is heavily dependent upon the unemployment rate but also upon how state and local governments address the deficits and debt that plagued them in the aftermath of the Great Recession, Hanson, L. K. (2014) Fewer opportunities for employment in the public sector, or even layoffs, coupled with the possibility for cuts to antipoverty programs and benefits have the potential to forestall declines in the U.S. poverty rate.

The amount of poverty in America ranks much higher than the amount of poverty in other established nations. Perhaps the most lasting consequences are for children, children have a tougher time getting along with others, and in most cases they’re victims of hopeless academic achievements, abuse, neglect, school dropout, behavior and development delay. It is sad that the children born into poverty don’t have a chance to be successful. Adults are affected by poverty in numerous ways, in most cases adults might even commit suicide because they feel like they have failed in life and think that his or her family won’t love them anymore.

Often Poverty is related as a criminogenic factor is highlighted by sociologists because poverty is a social condition, there is actually a direct connection between crime and poverty Poverty is not a condition or preference it is the weight carried by people who live in lack. Poverty brings in extreme anxiety and this anxiety leads people to crimes like robbery, physical injuries, and murder. People murder for money and material possessions. ”One way poverty causes crime is the way most people think of it Some people in desperate need of money commit crimes, Oliver said. 'Certain kinds of crime are alternative ways to make a living – illegal commerce, stealing stuff,' Oliver said. Another connection is stress. 'It is very stressful to be poor, and that stress leads to interpersonal violence at times,' Oliver said. And people suffering stress might turn to legal and illegal mind-altering substances, from alcohol to illicit drugs, Oliver noted.

The problem with poverty is, those making decisions on behalf of people in such dire situations have no idea what the reality of poverty is. For example If you're born a millionaire, it's easy to account for the wealth disparity with 'well I worked harder' (working sometimes is grueling , every day dawn to dusk, with mouths to feed and bills to pay. The rich have power. Those in power make decisions based on their experiences. Thus, politicians make laws with a rich man's worldview and those affected have little say in the matter. The United States has a really good system to keep poor people poor. Some states have shockingly low minimum wages so people have to work two or three jobs or turn to crime to support themselves and their families, its very hard to move on, especially if the person is a visible minority.

Poverty will always exist because there will always be wealth inequality. I believe that we should try another way to help the poor escape from poverty because the poor do not only need money, but they also need skills. The rich can help the poor by giving them financial aid with loans, More jobs should be offered, Raise the minimum wage so people can support themselves, unfortunately Poverty not only push individual to extreme anxiety and hopelessness but also makes individual engage in crimes. There is nothing inevitable about poverty. We simply need to construct the political will to enact the policies that will extend monetary security, expand opportunities, and grow the middle class and if we truly believe that America is the land of opportunity, we should be willing to work harder to dismantle poverty’s racial divide so that all people regardless of race can succeed in society. A more corrosive consequence of concentrated poverty, though harder to measure is on feelings of hopelessness and despondency, Poverty is more than just physical deprivation. It is also psychologically debilitating breeding constant anxiety about the near future and inuring people to daily traumas of hunger or violence or addiction.

References

  • Hanson, L. K. (2014). U.S. Poverty Rate in the Great Recession. In L. K. Hanson & T. J. Essenburg (Eds.), The New Faces of American Poverty: A Reference Guide to the Great Recession (Vol. 1, pp. [168]-176). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3159600021/GVRL?u=cuny_laguardia&sid=GVRL&xid=81d15dae
  • Schultz, T. (September 28, 2019 Saturday). US economy: Poverty in America. EIU ViewsWire. Retrieved from https://advance-lexis-com.rpa.laguardia.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:5X4W-M3J1-DYWT-T3RG-00000-00&context=1516831. 
16 August 2021
close
Your Email

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and  Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails.

close thanks-icon
Thanks!

Your essay sample has been sent.

Order now
exit-popup-close
exit-popup-image
Still can’t find what you need?

Order custom paper and save your time
for priority classes!

Order paper now