Rebecca M. Blank

Dennis P. Rosenbaum

Susan J. Popkin

Victoria E. Gwiasda

Lynn M. Olson

Larry Buron

Interviews residents, community leaders, and Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) staff to paint a portrait of what life is like among the gunfire and dangerous housing conditions at three CHA housing projects.

Crime and the Tragedy of Public Housing in Chicago

The Hidden War

"In this impeccably researched book, Rebecca Blank demonstrates that government aid has been far more effective in reducing poverty than most people think. It Takes a Nation argues that federal, state, and local assistance should go hand in hand with private efforts at community development and personal empowerment and change."--BOOK JACKET.

A New Agenda for Fighting Poverty - Updated Edition

It Takes a Nation

Documents the changes in WOB over time, explores disparities in the characteristics of bus. owned by women as compared to those owned by men, and discusses potential reasons for these disparities and the different outcomes that are associated with them. The focus is on proprietorships, partnerships, or any type of privately-held corp. with one or more owners. Publicly-owned co. are not included. The growth of WOB, and their performance as job creators at a time when other privately-held bus. were losing jobs, testifies to the importance of WOB to the economy. These bus. represent a potential source of future economic growth, yet they have a long way to go to achieve parity with men-owned bus. Illus. This is a print on demand report.

Women-Owned Businesses (WOB) in the 21st Century

Sheldon Danziger

Robert F. Schoeni

Over the last three decades, large-scale economic developments, such as technological change, the decline in unionization, and changing skill requirements, have exacted their biggest toll on low-wage workers. These workers often possess few marketable skills and few resources with which to support themselves during periods of economic transition. In Working and Poor, a distinguished group of economists and policy experts, headlined by editors Rebecca Blank, Sheldon Danziger, and Robert Schoeni, examine how economic and policy changes over the last twenty-five years have affected the well-being of low-wage workers and their families. Working and Poor examines every facet of the economic well-being of less-skilled workers, from employment and earnings opportunities to consumption behavior and social assistance policies. Rebecca Blank and Heidi Schierholz document the different trends in work and wages among less-skilled women and men. Between 1979 and 2003, labor force participation rose rapidly for these women, along with more modest increases in wages, while among the men both employment and wages fell. David Card and John DiNardo review the evidence on how technological changes have affected less-skilled workers and conclude that the effect has been smaller than many observers claim. Philip Levine examines the effectiveness of the Unemployment Insurance program during recessions. He finds that the program’s eligibility rules, which deny benefits to workers who have not met minimum earnings requirements, exclude the very people who require help most and should be adjusted to provide for those with the highest need. On the other hand, Therese J. McGuire and David F. Merriman show that government help remains a valuable source of support during economic downturns. They find that during the most recent recession in 2001, when state budgets were stretched thin, legislatures resisted political pressure to cut spending for the poor. Working and Poor provides a valuable analysis of the role that public policy changes can play in improving the plight of the working poor. A comprehensive analysis of trends over the last twenty-five years, this book provides an invaluable reference for the public discussion of work and poverty in America. A Volume in the National Poverty Center Series on Poverty and Public Policy

How Economic and Policy Changes Are Affecting Low-Wage Workers

Working and Poor

David Card

Philip K. Robins

Financial Incentives for Increasing Work and Income Amag Low-income Families

Rebecca M. Blank offers the first comprehensive analysis of an economic trend that has been reshaping the United States over the past three decades: rapidly rising income inequality. In clear language, she provides an overview of how and why the level and distribution of income and wealth has changed since 1979, sets this situation within its historical context, and investigates the forces that are driving it. Among other factors, Blank looks closely at changes within families, including women’s increasing participation in the work force. The book includes some surprising findings—for example, that per-person income has risen sharply among almost all social groups, even as income has become more unequally distributed. Looking toward the future, Blank suggests that while rising inequality will likely be with us for many decades to come, it is not an inevitable outcome. Her book considers what can be done to address this trend, and also explores the question: why should we be concerned about this phenomenon?

Rebecca M. Blank

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