Research Literature About Poverty
This page lists a number of research papers and literature reviews that may useful to Community Action practitioners contemplating Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning in connection with addressing poverty. Some of the papers review the current and past conditions of poverty, some explore the causes of poverty, some analyze policy initiatives, some evaluate "best practices," and some even propose new directions.
Poverty in America - Consequences for Individuals and the Economy GAO (2007)
This is a report by the US Government Accounting Office (GAO) presented to the House Ways and Means Committee on January 24, 2007. This is an excellent starting point to garner an overview of the issues connected with poverty in the United States as well as the government initiatives currently in place to address those issues. The issues addressed include the measurement of poverty, role of the federal government, the connection with many economic indicators, crime, and health.
Theories of Poverty and Anti-Poverty Programs (PDF)
This paper (by Ted Bradshaw) was published from the RUPRI Rural Poverty Research Center, Oregon State University (2006). The author outlines five theories of poverty from the poverty literature and gives examples of policy or community action that reflects each theory in use. The exposition on the five theories is, in itself, an education about understanding poverty. The author makes the case that no single theory of poverty is fully adequate, but applying combinations of theory and practice tend to yield far more effective strategies for addressing poverty.
Single Parent Families after welfare reform - Brookings.pdf
Unwed Childbearing - Brookings.pdf
Work and Marriage - Brookings.pdf
Rural Poverty Literature-Is There a Rural Effect.pdf
Benefits Costs of Head Start.pdf
Social and Cultural Theories of Poverty - Community Practices.pdf
Decline of the Underclass - Brookings.pdf
Poverty and Income 2005, what the numbers means - Brookings.pdf
Foodstamp Caseload declines.pdf
War on Poverty then and now - Brookings.pdf
Effect of EIC on employment.pdf
Poverty in America a Threat to the Common Good - Resources