[20161219]IF10562_贫困和经济机会.pdf

https:/crsreports.congress.gov December 19, 2016Poverty and Economic OpportunityIntroduction In 2015, an estimated 43.1 million people, 13.5% of the total noninstitutionalized population, were living in families with incomes below the official poverty line. The number of people in poverty and the poverty rate dropped in 2015, but both remain higher than before the recent recession. The key factor in determining economic well-being is work in a wage-paying job. For adults of working age, that work is either their own or their spouses. For children, it is the work of their parents. For the aged and disabled, it is often Social Security benefits or private retirement or disability income earned through their and/or their spouses past work. While earnings and work-based benefits are not always enough to raise family incomes above poverty, it is their absence that generally results in poverty. Thus, workincentives, disincentives, requirements, and availabilityis central to the policy around poverty and government assistance. Additionally, educational and services programs often seek to improve individuals employability to enhance their economic opportunities. Trends in Poverty The fede