Alien:
So you cannot prove it. Fine.
Irrational and emotional because it implies without evidence an oppressive throw-away mentality to those that cannot be urged to work. Wrong.
But let me make my case since you apparently cannot make yours. In addition, most poor black men in ghettos (if any) do not pay child support so imprisoning them would have exactly what kind of effect on welfare rates?
Over six years ago, Congress overhauled much of the nation’s welfare system. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 19961 replaced the failed social program called Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). The reform legislation had three primary goals: (1) reduce welfare dependence and increase employment, (2) reduce child poverty, and (3) reduce illegitimacy and strengthen marriage.
At the time of the law’s enactment, many liberal groups made dire predictions about the terrible effect these reforms would have on America’s children. In particular, the Children’s Defense Fund claimed that welfare reform would cast millions more children into poverty and hunger.2
These predictions were wrong, and welfare reform in fact produced the opposite results.3 Many groups, including academic institutions and public policy organizations, have published a wide variety of research showing the reform’s undeniable success.4 The documentation of this success has already begun to play a crucial role in the TANF reauthorization process scheduled in Congress for the coming months.
Reduced Black Child Poverty
In the almost seven years since the welfare reform law was enacted, economic conditions have improved dramatically for America’s poorest families. Welfare rolls have plummeted, employment of single mothers has increased dramatically, and child hunger has declined substantially. Most striking, however, has been the effect of welfare reform on child poverty, particularly among black children.
However, a report recently released by the Children’s Defense Fund shows that the number of black children under age 18 living in extreme poverty increased to nearly one million in 2001.5 Extreme poverty is defined as having an after-tax income of less than half of the federally defined poverty line. For a family of three, the poverty line was $14,128 in 2001, which would make the extreme poverty line $7,064 for that year. These findings show an increase of roughly 145,000 black children in the extreme poverty category since the enactment of welfare reform.
Although not incorrect, these findings can mislead readers about the success of welfare reform by focusing on a narrow slice of the entire child poverty population that has otherwise significantly improved under the reformed welfare system. While the number of black children living in extreme poverty is certainly a cause for concern, the overall level of child poverty, particularly among black children, has made tremendous progress:
For the 25 years prior to welfare reform, the percentage of black children living in poverty remained virtually unchanged.
Since welfare reform, the poverty rate among black children has dropped by one-fourth, falling from 41.5 percent in 1995 to 30.0 percent in 2001.
The black child poverty rate is at its lowest point in U.S. history.
Since welfare reform, over 1.2 million black children have been lifted out of poverty. Since welfare reform, six black children have been made better off and lifted out of poverty for every black child whose economic condition has worsened.