Poverty
Touro University Nevada
Book Review
Robert Peace (Rob) grew up in poverty in
the city of Orange, New Jersey
Earned a full ride scholarship to Yale
University
Majored in molecular biophysics and
biochemistry
Often torn between the life of academia
and the life of the streets
At the age of thirty, he was brutally
murdered due to a drug related incident
(Hobbs, 2015)
(Hobbs, 2015)
Definition: Poverty
The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by
family size and composition to determine who is in poverty. If a familys
total income is less than the familys threshold, then the family and every
individual in it is considered in poverty
Income before taxes and does not include capital gains or noncash
benefits (e.g. public housing, Medicaid, food stamps)
(United States
Poverty Statistics
National 2014 Highlights
Poverty rate: 14.8%
Poverty rates for most demographic groups were not statistically
different from the previous year
Increase in poverty for those with bachelors degree or more, married-couple families,
and peoeple with disabilites
Nevada Statistics
Poverty level in 2009-2013: 15%
Poverty rate of children increased from 15% in 2008 to 23% in 2013
Occupational Injustice
Occupational Apartheid
Occupational Alienation
Occupational Deprivation
Occupational Marginalization
Occupational Imbalance
Interview Questions
What were your family dynamics? Children? Parent(s)? Did they work?
Can you discuss what your daily life is like?
What things were most valuable to you growing up?
How did you overcome trials in your life?
What is your highest level of education?
What do you see as barriers in your life?
If provided with adequate resources how would you utilize them in your daily
life? Do you think you were informed enough on opportunities available to
you growing up?
How did poverty impact your occupations?
What are your goals in life?
How do you define success?
What changes would you suggest in order to prevent the oppression
experienced by individuals born into poverty?
Interviewee Profile
Casey is a 27 year old male residing in a suburban Chicago city. He grew up in
a small rural Illinois town with his single mother and younger sister. He no
longer resides in his hometown due to lack of opportunity and increased
exposure to peers who are addicted to drugs. Casey graduated from the
University of Illinois with a degree in accounting. He was thankful for the
opportunity to reflect upon his childhood and the impact poverty had played
on his life.
Casey ended the interview stating, The real problem is not poverty, it is
opportunity inequality. People deserve the opportunity to succeed despite
income levels. I am waiting for the opportunity to prove my potential,
because I know I can succeed.
Interview Themes
Opportunity Inequality
Interviewee Profile 2
Alan Dean Richmond is a 79 year old male from Simi Valley, CA. He was born
in Los Angeles, CA and raised with his two siblings and parents in a 14 foot
trailer for most of his life. His family moved around a lot as a child because his
father was an alcoholic.
Alan worked full-time in college and obtained a doctorate degree in education.
He taught 5th and 6th grade for most of his life. He is an accomplished artist
and published a book on ways to incorporate art into other core school
subjects. He has been married for 57 years and has six children and 26
grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
(Tincantourist, n.d.)
Interviewee 2 Themes
Education is a key to success and is precious
Air force
Access to Healthcare
Socioeconomic disadvantages number one barrier to healthcare in U.s
This factor is by far the most important factor explaining 40.40% of total variance,
(Wang & Luo, 2005, p. 139).
Access to Healthcare
Sociocultural barriers is the second reason Americans have trouble
accessing healthcare
It includes three variables: households with linguistic isolation,
households with >1 person per room, and population without highschool diploma, (Wang & Luo, 2005, p. 139).
why services were not accessed. The 2 most common responses were
that the services "cost too much" or that there was a "health plan
problem,(Porterfield & McBride, 2007, p.327).
"Lack of resources at school,(Porterfield & McBride, 2007, p.327) was
often listed as a barrier to accessing healthcare.
Parents living in poverty were more likely to admit that their child
struggled with occupations but less likely to access services (Porterfield &
McBride, 2007).
Impact of Marginalization
Socioeconomic
Report stated Americans have a big mobility gap compared to other
countries
Lack of mobility between classes
Academic achievement
(Deparle, 2012)
Impact of Marginalization
Diversity factor: Boys vs. girls
A study regarding The Moving to Opportunity Program instituted in 1990
(National Public
Impact of Marginalization
Lifestyle choices: Single Parenting
Children raised without two parents at home experience less support
and stability in relationships
Lack self-respect and self-esteem
Children without father figures may present the following:
Behavioral issues
Abuse drugs
Commit crimes
Poverty
(Ludden, 2014)
Population Beliefs
Personal Accounts
Work ethic
Belief about Poverty
The real problem is people who have potential but arent allowed to act Opportunity
inequality People born into certain circumstances have certain opportunities that
people born into poverty dont have, (C. S., personal communication, February 14,
2016).
I have had a successful life. I think anyone in America who works hard and gets a good
education can escape poverty, (A. R., personal communication, February 22, 2016).
Broad View
Religious
(Miller, 2014)
Population Values
Personal Accounts:
Education
For school, I went to 6 different elementary schools, 2 middle school, and 1 high school
but when I was in high we moved to four different addresses, (A. R., open
communication, February 22, 2016).
Family/Friends
Work
Broad View:
Desire for a job/meaningful work
Better connections to the rest of the world
A reduced threat of violence
End to the regular daily humiliation and disrespect
(Melamed, 2011)
Fronting
...felt his psyche being racked by the relentless obligation to be of this world after the
last four years had wholly removed him from it, (p.217).
Leader
Student
Friend
Worker
I had to work full time while I was going to school full time so my grades werent that
good. I never had any scholarships or anything when in college, (A. R., personal
communication, February 22, 2016).
Sleeping with no pillow, maybe a blanket, noise from the street, no shelter from the
elements
Low energy, function slower cognitively, physically and emotionally, have poorer
understanding of delayed gratification, poor money management
(Aizenman, 2015)
Families are unable to afford quality child care and intellectually stimulating
experiences
Free recreation programs for individuals with disabilities do not cater to their
needs
(Park, Turnbull, Turnbull III, 2002)
Conceptual Framework of
Family QOL
(Crouch, 2008)
Access to Education
Children born into poverty are less likely to perform well in school and to
finish school
Inadequate schooling for children born into poverty negatively affects
their economic success at a large cost to society
The family is a major producer of the skills and motivation required to
providing successful students and workers, (James Heckman)
Parents of poor children use their resources to provide food and shelter
rather than to nourish their childrens cognitive and social skills
$4-$9 per dollar invested benefit the community in regards to decrease
in crime, welfare, and education remediation
(Schippers, 2014)
Follow up age 40: higher earnings, more likely to hold a job, committed fewer
crimes, more likely to have graduated high school. Benefits to society per dollar
invested $17.07 (Schippers, 2014)
Benefited students achievement and graduation rates. Benefited society $3.78 per
dollar invested (Schippers, 2014)
(Anderson, 2016)
(Podachm, 2012)
Resource
Public Health:
http://www.publichealth.org/resources/poverty/
Poverty USA
http://www.povertyusa.org/poverty-resources/
Hunger, Homelessness & Poverty Task Force
www.hhptf.org/resources
References
Aizenman, N. (2015). Sleepless nights and lighter wallets: The Link Between Poverty And Sleep. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/2015/12/06/458662028/a-bad-nights-sleep-might-do-more-harm-than-you-think
Anderson, M. (2016). How to help kids in poverty adjust to the stability of school after break. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/01/07/461595631/how-to-help-kids-in-poverty-adjust-to-the-stability-ofschool-after-break
Casey Foundation. (2015). Income working families today than in midst of great recession. Retrieved from:
http://www.aecf.org/blog/17-million-more-children-live-in-low-income-working-families-today-than-in/
Children's Defense Fund. (2015, July 20). Child poverty: In their own Words [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLrTZ5IG_Eg
Crouch, R. (2008). A community-based stress management programme for an impoverished population in South
Africa. Occupational Therapy International, 15(2), 71-86.
Deparle, J. (2012). Harder for Americans to rise from lower rungs. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/us/harder-for-americans-to-rise-from-lower-rungs.html?_r=1
References cont.
Hobbs, J. (2014). The short and tragic life of Robert Peace. New York, NY: Scribner
Kim, P., Evans, G., Angstadt, M.,Ho, S., Sripada, C., Swain, J., Liberzon, IPhan, L. (2013). Effects of childhood poverty
and chronic stress on emotion regulatory brain function in adulthood. Psychological and Cognitive Sciences,
110(46), 18442-18447. doi:10.1073/pnas.1308240110
Ludden, J. (2014). To break cycle of child poverty, teaching mom and dad to
get along. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2014/07/08/329798341/teaching-family-skills-to-tackle-poverty
http://www.beachcenter.org/research/FullArticles/PDF/FQL1_Impacts%20of%20poverty%20on%20Quality.pdf
Melamed, C. (2011, March 17). What do poor people want? The Guardian. Retrieved from
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/mar/17/what-poor-people-want
Miller, M. (2014). Why are the poor more religious? The Humanist. Retrieved
http://thehumanist.com/news/national/why-are-the-poor-more-religious
National Public Radio. (2014). Study: Boys report PTSD when moved out of poverty. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/2014/03/12/289299044/study-boys-report-ptsd-when-moved-out-of-poverty
References cont.
Park, J., Turnbull, A., Turnbull III, H. (2002). Impacts of poverty on quality of life in families of children with disabilities.
Council for exceptional children 68(2),151-170.
Podachm. (2012, September 20). The new face of homelessness [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr85eJEqAzg
Porterfield, S. L., & McBride, T. D. (2007). The effect of poverty and caregiver education on perceived need and
access to
health services among children with special health care needs. American Journal of Public Health,97(2), 323-329.
Schippers, V. (2014). No Preschooler Left Behind: The need for high quality early intervention for children born into
poverty. Multicultural Education, 22(1), 41-45.
Simon & Schuster. (n.d.). The short and tragic Life of Robert Peace [Image file]. Retrieved from
http://books.simonandschuster.com/The-Short-and-Tragic-Life-of-Robert-Peace/Jeff-Hobbs/9781476731919
Tincantourist. (n.d.). Trailers for sale. Retrieved from
http://www.tincantourists.com/classified/showproduct.php?product=8605&title=1950-boles-aero-14trailer&cat=3#.U_Sm__ldVic
References
United States Census Bureau. (2015). Poverty. Retrieved from
https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/about/overview/measure.html\
United States Census Bureau. (2014). Poverty 2014 highlights. Retrieved from
https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/about/overview/
U.S. Department of f Health & Human Services. (2015). 2015 Poverty guidelines. Retrieved from
https://aspe.hhs.gov/2015-poverty-guidelines
Wang, F., & Luo, W. (2005). Assessing spatial and nonspatial factors for healthcare access: Towards an integrated
approach to defining health professional shortage areas. Health & place, 11(2), 131-146.