Layout 1

Chapter 11

U.S. Census,

2007c).

Lower-

class families

often live in

deteriorated

housing in

unsafe

neighborhoods.

They may be

unable to

afford

adequate

clothing for

winter and may require government-

issued food stamps to provide food for

their family (Cherlin, 2002). Poverty

exacerbates problems faced by all

families. The fear of not enough

money, the effects of poor

housing, crime-ridden

neighborhoods, poor education,

and inadequate health care

commonly affect lower-class

families, as well as the welfare of

children in these families (The

Real Issue, 2005). Children

growing up in poverty are likely

to be ill-prepared for school, have

low academic achievement,

higher rate of teen pregnancy,

drug and alcohol problems, poor

mental and physical health,

delinquent behavior, and

unemployment in adolescence

and young adulthood (University

of Alberta, 2006; Polakow, 2006; Seaman

et al., 2006; Stratham, 2007).

Lower-class men often have little or

no education and few occupational skills

which prevents them from finding work

paying more than minimum wage. They

generally have few, if any, benefits such as

health care or paid time off. Lower-class

women often work in low-paying service

jobs or are dependent on welfare to

provide for their family. A small minority

of lower-class families is homeless

(Cherlin, 2002). An estimated 3.5 million

people, 1.35 million of them children, are

likely to experience homelessness in a

given year (Homelessness in the United

States, 2004) This means 1% of the U.S.

Over 17% of America’s children

live in poverty.

Figure 11.2

Adults in Families Living Below the Poverty Level

by Household Type and Sex, 2005

Source:Women’s Health USA, 2007 U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration,

Maternal and Child Health Bureau.Rockville, Maryland: U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services.

0

5

10

15

20

25

9.6

Female

Male

Adults in FamiTotal lies, Adults in FamiMarried Couplelies,

**Pov*Familiertes are a gy level defineroup of at leastd bytheU.Stw. Censo people relus Bureau was ated bybirth, marriag$19,971fora family e, or adopoftiofoun andr in 2005.residingtogether.

Adults in FamiNoSpouse Preselies,nt

6. 
   

   (^3) 5.0 4 .9
   25.9

   
   


7. 
   

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   Per

   
   

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