Q1 (a)
Traditionally, the federal government has defined absolute poverty with the emphasis on the monetary aspect of it. As such, according to the government Absolute poverty refers to a situation where a person’s financial ability is insufficient to maintain the minimum standard of living ((Bogenschneider, 2016). With the increase in scrutiny on social welfare issues, experts find several drawbacks on the government guidelines used to define absolute poverty. These drawbacks could affect the effectiveness of public assistance programs; therefore, it is vital to take note of some of the crucial disadvantages. As mentioned, the government lays emphasis on money in defining poverty. There are, however, other factors outside a person’s financial status that could be used to define poverty, therefore prioritize those who need help more than others do.
In this case, there is a need for the government to make a consideration when designing public assistance programs, such that they benefit people predisposed to poverty due to regional and environmental factors. Lastly, it is imperative that the government consider vulnerabilities such as people susceptible to chronic diseases, students with large loans or mortgage loans (Bogenschneider, 2016). These categories of individuals constitute individuals who lack the ability to maintain the minimum living standards, despite their financial income.
Q1 (b)
According to the 2006 report on the US population by the U.S Department of Commerce, juveniles represented 25 percent of the population, a statistic which is expected to rise by the year 2020. Following this is crucial, that policymakers focus on increasing the welfare of persons under 18 years. Juveniles are more likely to commit crime more than their adult counterparts are. In my community, the case is not different. For decades, juvenile delinquency has been the main issue affecting the youth. For instance, there has been a 70 percent rise in juvenile arrests in the last ten months.
More youth are involved in drug abuse, violent crimes, petty theft, and carjacking now more than ever. These worrying statistics have even caught the attention of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). One of the factors that have been cited as the root of the problem is the rise in poverty. With this, juveniles turn to violent crimes to provide for themselves or get in other destructive habits such as drug abuse due to the depression associated with poverty (DiNitto & Johnson, 2016). The evidence provided here should be enough to warrant policy makers to focus their resources on helping the community curb the rising cases of juvenile delinquency (DiNitto & Johnson, 2016). Since poverty is linked with the increase in youth crimes, the policy makers should design family-centered programs to provide funds to financially challenged families, thus helping cut short the rise in juvenile crimes in the community.
Question 2: Equal Pay for Equal Work
Q 2 a)
This is the concept of labor rights where individuals doing the same work have to receive equal remuneration. This term is mostly used in the concept of sexual discrimination. This concept relates to the concept of full range payments and benefits for all individuals regardless of their gender. There should be no discrimination in the remuneration given to individuals on the basis of their differences as long as they are doing the same kind of work. There are countries that have done much and moved faster in terms of avoiding discrimination in the work arena. The United States has been in the forefront in ensuring that there is no gender discrimination in the work areas and that every individual needs to be appreciated for the work they do.
Q 2 b)
The United Nations human rights have also been on the forefront in the advocacy for equal pay in the job arena. The main concern has been to the countries that discriminate individuals in the society on the role they play in propagating equal needs and rights for all. The international covenant on economic covers the issue of equal pays for equal work. Several states and countries have adopted the concept of equal rights for all, especially in the sector of employment. For a long time the advocacy for equal employment opportunities which should be based on qualifications but not on other personal differences has increased.
Question 3: Family change
Q 3a)
The family policy debate is explained through three different theories of family change. In the last 25 years, families have dramatically changed and thus require family policies and regulations to address current problems. Family policy education is a crucial element in ensuring that future generations get the necessary assistance. Instructors of family policy are faced with various challenges including what should be taught, and how to teach. The three worldviews entail the concerned, sanguine, and the impatient camp.
The Concerned Camp
The concerned camp majorly focuses on the negative impacts that family changes have been faced with for the last decades. According to this theory, life would have been better if these changes had not occurred (DiNitto, 2011). Some of the values associated with this theory include parental commitment, individual responsibility, and marital fidelity, and civic participation.
The Sanguine Camp
This theory shifts focus on the positive impacts of the family changes with a particular interest in the women. According to this view, family change is a sigh of progress and it’s an indicator of family adaptation to the current changes (DiNitto & Johnson, 2012). Social problems are associated with lack of response to social institutions. Values include self-determination, independence, individual freedom, and variation.
The Impatient Camp
This world view concentrates on the shortfalls the family changes and recommends further change, tolerance, and support for the wide range of family forms. The theory finds it impossible to come to terms with family change. Values include no chosen family form, there exists more many belief systems, and believes that constant family change comes with disadvantages and advantages (Bogenschneider, 2002). All the three camps have some commonality that includes recognizing change, the need for family policies, and the government should be involved, and none of the theories is satisfied.
Q3 b)
Poverty is a central problem among individuals across the world though less has been said concerning the problem. Addressing the issue is of importance to the society and individuals. There are various ideas that explain why some families live in poverty while others are well off. The concerned camp would suggest corruption and high levels of unemployment. Unemployment is one of the major causes of poverty and increased crime rate. The concerned camp also believes that parental employment takes most of the family time thus disrupts family time. According to the sanguine, lack of responsibility is the root of poverty in the society. As a result, advocacy of families to take responsibility is highly encouraged and emphasized (Bogenschneider, 2002). On the other hand, the impatient camp suggests poverty culture as a primary cause of poverty in the society.
Q3 c)
The government needs to take drastic measures and implement policies that will help alleviate poverty. Increased levels of poverty in the society need to be addressed through legislations such as the provision of public services. Most communities lack public services such as health services, housing, and education among others. Provision of these services will help address and alleviate the poverty problem within the society. Additionally, provision of job opportunities to the youth and the public, in general, will have a significant effect on reducing the crime rate.
Policies implemented to curb poverty ought to be kept in check and follow ups done to ensure effectiveness. The relevant agencies are required to make reports on the policy development and progress of the affected persons in the society. Government participation is inevitable as most policies need state implementation and enforcement. Therefore, it is important for the involved state agencies to be proactive in addressing poverty.
Question 4: Family Policy and Social Welfare
Q4 a)
The US family policy can be rated fairly below average when compared with other developed countries. Although the country provides better economic and employment opportunities for working parents, it falls behind in factors such as childcare, family leave, and flexibility (Bogenschneider, 2014). Currently, the country is ranked last among the OECD members in family policy (Schulte, 2014). It does not provide any paid maternity leave, but the Family Medical Leave Act offers just twelve weeks of unpaid leave. This law only covers 60 percent of employees who work full-time in companies that have more than 50 employees.
The policy on child care is lowly rated with the annual cost of caring for an infant being higher than college fees. Conversely, flexibility for working parents is significantly low with parents struggling to balance work and family responsibilities (DiNitto & Johnson, 2012). The United States has no law that protects salaried workers overwork, has no national policy for vacations, and no mandate for the workers' rest (Schulte, 2014). This puts a strain on the family because the husband and wife struggle to find time to strengthen bonds and address parental care issues.
Q4 b)
In the United States, healthcare is rationed based on a patient’s ability to pay for services and medication. This system affects the 15 percent poor population who are uninsured and unable to afford certain medical services. In other countries, mainly in Europe, health services are rationed based on waiting time, primarily because they are under the single payer health care system where a public insurance scheme pays the costs. Use of the pay-for-service system in healthcare rationing raise several ethical issues, among them the denial of crucial health services to the poor (Scheunemann & White, 2011). Time-based rationing is based on the principle of ‘to each person according to need, an equal share, and according to effort’.
The rationing principle of the pay-for-service is ‘to each according to the ability to pay, free market conditions, and to maximize usefulness. As such, ethical issues arise equality and availability of priority treatment for those in need. As such, suffering and death of patients who have no means of paying for medical services stems from the conscious choice of the health institutions and doctors by extension (Scheunemann & White, 2011). There is an opposite side of this dilemma that argues that allowing patients to access health care without infringing on the economic rights of the institutions to earn a reward for providing services. Conversely, the right of access to quality health care for those with the ability to pay would be jeopardized.
Q4 c)
The Civil Rights Act (1964) is a legislation that outlawed all levels of discrimination (both institutional and social) based on color, sex, religion, race, or nation of origin. The landmark significance of the law is that it ended racial segregation of the non-white races in public social institutions, streamlining of voter registration among all races and genders, and prohibition of discrimination based on sex at the place of work. The has promoted the civil right of American by removing barriers to education, employment, political participation, and economic participation of all races, genders, and disabled.
Under the custody of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) women now have greater access to employment opportunities and benefits. Between 1964 and 1996, the school dropout rate among African-Americans dropped from 20.5 percent to 13 percent, where 60 percent have enrolled in colleges (U.S. Department of Education, 1999). Almost the same percentage was realized among women and children with disabilities during this period. In Mississippi, voter registration of African-Americans increased from 7 percent to 70 prevent between 1965 and 1967 (Willmar, 2014). As a result, the country enjoys more equality in gay rights, women’s rights, disability rights, and immigrant rights.
References
Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Family Policy Matters: How Policymaking affects families and what professionals can do. New York: Routledge.
DiNitto, D. M. (2011). Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy. New York: Allyn & Bacon.
DiNitto, D. M., & Johnson, D. H. (2012). Essentials of Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy. New York: Pearson Education.
Scheunemann, L. P., & White, D. B. (2011). The Ethics and Reality of Rationing in Medicine. Chest, 1625–1632.
Schulte, B. (2014, June 23). The U.S. ranks last in every measure when it comes to family policy, in 10 charts. Retrieved from Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2014/06/23/global-view-how-u-s-policies-to-help-working-families-rank-in-the-world/
U.S. Department of Education. (1999). The impact of the Civil Rights Laws. Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/impact.html
Willmar, M. (2014, October). How The Civil Rights Act Of 1964 Changed U.S. History. Retrieved from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/09/civil-rights-act-50-year-anniversary_n_5119723.html
