American Poverty and Human Services
Thesis Statement
One of the most prevalent and persistent social problems in the United States is poverty. By sharing theories, principles, and concepts of human services delivery systems intended for effective interventions, the human service field will be better equipped to handle the current crisis and plight of the poor.
Introduction
Anti-poverty programs are designed, selected, and implemented in response to different theories about the cause of poverty that justify the human services field and its development of interventions. The definition of poverty and its theories are rooted in research traditions and political values. They are reinforced by encompassing social, political and economic institutions that have a stake in the issue. Thus, a purely objective explanation of poverty is displaced by a proliferation of socially defined issues and concerns from both liberal and conservative perspectives. No one theory of poverty has emerged that either subsumes or invalidates the others (Blank, 1997).
Individuals experiencing poverty do not lack privileges because of who they are, but as a matter of their relative association(s) to the category of poverty. Their circumstances and socio-economic class distinctions are situational and almost always changes over time. Johnson’s (2008) premise holds: It is the category (and reality) of poverty that afflicts the individual. According to Ben Tracey (2010) poverty in America is skyrocketing at a record pace. He also claims 1 in 7 Americans to be officially poor.
The human service field is far-reaching, yet the need for services focusing upon the poverty stricken still remains great. For decades programs have been created to assist American families in dealing with the effects of poverty. There are many issues that Americans possess concerning poverty along with a need for expanded methods to address and enact change within this population. The purpose of this paper is to examine various advocacy
One of the most prevalent and persistent social problems in the United States is poverty. By sharing theories, principles, and concepts of human services delivery systems intended for effective interventions, the human service field will be better equipped to handle the current crisis and plight of the poor.
Introduction
Anti-poverty programs are designed, selected, and implemented in response to different theories about the cause of poverty that justify the human services field and its development of interventions. The definition of poverty and its theories are rooted in research traditions and political values. They are reinforced by encompassing social, political and economic institutions that have a stake in the issue. Thus, a purely objective explanation of poverty is displaced by a proliferation of socially defined issues and concerns from both liberal and conservative perspectives. No one theory of poverty has emerged that either subsumes or invalidates the others (Blank, 1997).
Individuals experiencing poverty do not lack privileges because of who they are, but as a matter of their relative association(s) to the category of poverty. Their circumstances and socio-economic class distinctions are situational and almost always changes over time. Johnson’s (2008) premise holds: It is the category (and reality) of poverty that afflicts the individual. According to Ben Tracey (2010) poverty in America is skyrocketing at a record pace. He also claims 1 in 7 Americans to be officially poor.
The human service field is far-reaching, yet the need for services focusing upon the poverty stricken still remains great. For decades programs have been created to assist American families in dealing with the effects of poverty. There are many issues that Americans possess concerning poverty along with a need for expanded methods to address and enact change within this population. The purpose of this paper is to examine various advocacy
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