Impacts of Welfare Reform on California Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

ABSTRACT

Debate over the potential impacts of welfare reform largely has ignored the implications of these changes for the growing number of grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. Results of a qualitative study involving 36 key informants who were intimately involved in the crafting and/or implementation of California's welfare reform plan are presented. Particular attention is focused on time limits on aid, work requirements, and sanctions regarding teenage parenthood as these may impact on grandparent caregivers and their families. Cross-cutting themes also are presented. A case is made for greatly stepping up data collection and evaluative research that may help in determining the actual impacts of the legislation on intergenerational households headed by grandparents.     

Impact of retirement type on income for people with disabilities

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of involuntary retirement on the economic security of persons with a disability. Very little research examines the economic consequences to forced retirement and no research focuses on persons with disabilities who have a higher rate of involuntary retirement than the general population. Analysing the 2006 Canadian Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, we find that persons with a disability who involuntarily retire have lower median personal and household incomes and they are more likely to be under the low-income cut-off point than those who retire voluntarily. When socio-demographic, socio-economic and geographical characteristics are controlled; those who retired involuntarily are more likely to be under the low-income cut-off point than those whose retirement was voluntary. Further, those who retired involuntarily are more likely to receive disability benefits whereas those who retired voluntarily are more likely to receive retirement income. The authors argue for employers and governments to implement accommodation in the workplace and flexible employment opportunities so that more persons with disabilities are able to continue in their employment for as long as possible.     

国民收入分配格局的动态演变——马克思经济学与古典经济学的比较

马克思经济学和古典经济学通过不同方法和途径的分析与论证,在国民收入分配格局的动态演变趋势方面得出了一致的结论,但马克思经济学和古典经济学的国民收入分配理论存在根本区别。古典经济学代表新兴资产阶级的利益,其分配理论是按资本、劳动、土地等要素分配的,并将资本主义当作自然的、永恒的生产关系。马克思经济学是为无产阶级服务的理论体系,因此,尽管马克思论证的国民收入分配格局动态的演变趋势与古典经济学一致,但是马克思创立的劳动价值论论证了劳动是价值的唯一源泉,无产阶级贫困的积累造就了资产阶级的掘墓人,平均利润率下降表明了资本主义生产方式的局限性和历史暂时性。     

收入分配不平等对刑事犯罪的影响问题研究

我国当前收入分配的不平等所造成的不仅是收入群体之间的收入差距过大,更重要的是在这种社会条件下的收入差距过大所导致的刑事犯罪率的上升和犯罪程度的加剧,通过对造成收入分配的不平等原因的分析以及对收入分配不平等对刑事犯罪率和刑事犯罪程度的影响机理分析,提出减少收入分配不平等和缩小收入差距的对策,从而减少收入分配问题所可能引致的刑事犯罪。     

Self-Neglect and Neglect of Vulnerable Older Adults: Reexamination of Etiology

Using assessment and investigation data from the reported APS cases in Texas, this study examines the types of elder self-neglect and neglect, including medical neglect. It then examines the association between self-neglect and neglect and individual economic resources as well as health care and social service programs for the poor. The findings show that elder self-neglect/neglect is, in large part, attributable to frail older adults' and their families' lack of resources to pay for essential goods and services and the inadequate healthcare and other formal support programs for the older adults and their caregivers. This inadequate public policy coverage, rather than individual and intrafamily risk factors per se, needs to be considered as a significant cause of elder self-neglect/neglect.     

A Comprehensive Approach to Working With Families of Alzheimer's Patients

Families who care for patients with Alzheimer's disease face severe psychosocial problems. This paper presents a comprehensive approach for social work practice with such families. The use of both clinical and social interventions is recommended to assist families in managing daily activities, alleviating stress, planning for long term care and coping with the emotional sequelae of the disease. Information-giving, teaching, and advocacy are stressed as a way of providing families with the tools they need to cope with the problems of caring for someone with a chronic, degenerative condition.     

Market Reform and the Widening of the Income Gap

在市场化过程中,中国出现了收入差距不断扩大的趋势,从而社会上出现了一些将收入差距扩大的原因归结为市场化改革的错误认识。本文通过对我国改革开放以来收入分配格局变化的主要特点和导致收入差距扩大的原因加以细致实证分析, 对一些模糊认识加以澄清。本文认为在个人收入差距扩大的诸多因素中,传统计划 体制遗留下来的一些制度和政策,在部门利益和地方利益驱使下新形成的有悖于市 场体制规则的制度和政策,政府对市场缺失和市场扭曲采取的不作为态度,对资本 节制和劳动保护的不足,政府对经济的过度干预,成为导致收入差距扩大和收入分 配不公的最重要因素。

关键词: 收入差距?改革?城乡?中国

In the course of marketization in China, there has been a trend for the income gap to become ever wider. Some people have mistakenly attributed the gap to market reforms. This article provides a detailed empirical analysis of the changes in income distribution patterns and the reasons for the increasing income gap to clear up such misunderstandings. We believe the most important factors in the widening of the income gap and unequal income distribution are institutions and policies inherited from traditional economic planning; newly emerging systems and policies driven by departmental and local interests that run counter to market laws; lack of government action on gaps or distortions in the market; insufficient capital regulation and labor protection; and excessive government intervention in the economy.     

中国农村居民社会分层状况实证分析

改革开放以来,中国农村社会分层发生重大变化,均质同构的社会结构从根本上被打破。通过对江苏省农村居民社会分层状况的调查研究,可看出中国农村居民无论是职业还是收入分层的趋势已初步显现,从总体结构上看,呈现出底盘和中间阶层都较大的＂烛台＂结构。未来中国农村现代化的基本目标就是农村居民的职业转换和城市化,而通过教育或培训以提高＂下下层＂（种田农民及无业人员）的人力资本,是实现这一目标的重要前提。     

To move or not to move: mobility decision-making in the context of welfare conditionality and paid employment

ABSTRACT

The mobility and agency of the unemployed have rarely been examined together in welfare administration. Mobility research has much to offer the (im)mobility of low-skilled and unemployed workers. The article begins by critically examining dominant public discourse and policy reforms that stigmatise the assumed immobility of the unemployed. Drawing on empirical data from in-depth interviews with people on income support payments in Australia, it then offers a critical view on the mobility decision-making processes of these job-seekers. Building on previous research concerning the politics of mobility, it shows that structural inequalities impact mobility choices, making relocation difficult for many job-seekers. At the same time, it highlights the localised mobility that job search now involves, complicating orthodox associations between mobility and power – as well as assumptions that job-seekers are immobile.     

Trade openness and income inequality: New empirical evidence

We examine how trade openness influences income inequality within countries. The sample includes 139 countries over the period 1970–2014. We employ predicted openness as instrument to deal with the endogeneity of trade openness. The effect of trade openness on income inequality differs across countries. Trade openness tends to disproportionately benefit the relative income shares of the very poor, but not necessarily all poor, in emerging and developing economies. In most advanced economies, trade openness increased income inequality, an effect that is driven by outliers. Our results suggest a strong effect of trade openness on inequality in China and transition countries.