WELFARE REFORM AND CHILDREN

PROPONENTS OF THE WELFARE REFORM LEGISLATION PASSED IN 1996 ARGUED THAT DISMANTLING THE AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN (AFDC) SYSTEM WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE AFDC WAS SO BADLY BROKEN THAT INCREMENTAL REFORM WAS IMPOSSIBLE. THEY ARGUED THAT REAL CHANGE IN THE WELFARE SYSTEM COULD ONLY COME FROM...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Stanford law & policy review 1998-01, Vol.9 (1), p.131-140
Main Authors: Bane, M J, Weissbourd, R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
INFANTS AND CHILDREN
WELFARE
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:PROPONENTS OF THE WELFARE REFORM LEGISLATION PASSED IN 1996 ARGUED THAT DISMANTLING THE AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN (AFDC) SYSTEM WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE AFDC WAS SO BADLY BROKEN THAT INCREMENTAL REFORM WAS IMPOSSIBLE. THEY ARGUED THAT REAL CHANGE IN THE WELFARE SYSTEM COULD ONLY COME FROM ABOLISHING THE FEDERALLY-ENFORCED ENTITLEMENT AND ALLOWING THE STATE GOVERNMENTS MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY TO DESIGN PROGRAMS FOR THEIR OWN CITIZENS. IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS HISTORIC SHIFT IN RESPONSIBILITY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE STATES, THIS PAPER EXAMINES THE DANGERS TO CHILDREN POSED BY THE 1996 WELFARE LAW. IT THEN OFFERS SUGGESTIONS FOR ADDRESSING THESE DANGERS AT THE STATE AND COMMUNITY LEVELS AND ARGUES THAT LONGER-TERM SOLUTIONS MAY REQUIRE MORE ACTION BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
ISSN:1044-4386