NCJ Number
128770
Date Published
1990
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This report cites poverty, housing, education, health care, and infrastructure as significant areas of neglect in the Federal Government's budget.
Abstract
Despite 7 years of economic growth, more than 32 million Americans live below the official poverty line of $12,000 a year for a family of four. More than $20 billion is needed to rehabilitate the nation's 1.4 million public housing units. At least 4 million Americans, and possibly as many as 14 million, are living on the "edge of homelessness." Nearly 500,000 American children live in detention centers, hospitals, foster homes, and mental health facilities. Over the next 5 years, more than $72 billion is needed to prevent the loss of low-income housing subsidized through the Section 8 housing program. School dropout rates range from 30 to 50 percent in predominantly poor, minority school districts. Illiteracy and marginal literacy are widespread with 13 percent of high school students graduating with the reading skills of 6th graders. The proportion of black and Hispanic high school graduates enrolled in college has decreased from 35 percent in 1976 to 26 percent in 1985. Unemployment among young workers was 16.9 percent in 1987; for black teenagers, the official jobless rate was above 30 percent. An estimated 31 million Americans including 4 million low-income children have no health insurance. Tax proposals are suggested to raise the revenue needed to address these problems. tables and illustrations