Entitled to Benefits

            In William Julius Wilson’s book,The truly Disadvantaged , the identifies the social inequalities many urban communities are faced with today. He argues that the increase in poverty in the United States is not due to racial constraints, but rather because of individual beliefs shifting to create a culture not centered on community progress. Other analyses of inner city problems danced around the issue of racial discrimination for fear of being criticized. Previous studies referred to an “underclass” that had increases in crime, higher poverty rates, and different individual mentalities.  Regardless of the racial composition of residents the living conditions in urban ghettos were declining at rapid rates.  Many who resided in these areas were recipients of welfare benefits in order to survive. While the welfare program was created to help individuals in temporary situations, as time went on the amount of individuals receiving welfare increased.

            This increase in the amount of individuals receiving welfare caused the change in neighborhood culture.  When the first generation was raised in an area with an overwhelming amount of individuals receiving welfare they became socialized to believe receiving welfare is an acceptable form of income. As this generation came into adulthood they developed a dependency on the welfare system, and the behaviors of their everyday life display their dependency.  Those dependent on receiving welfare are typically unemployed, more likely to be involved in criminal activities, and less likely to positively impact their community. A community with a dependency on welfare can have an extremely negative effect on its residents. According to Robert Sampson the effects of a neighborhood can greatly determine an individual’s likeliness to contribute positively to their surrounding area.

Community dependence on welfare creates a culture that negatively impacts all residents regardless of the specific neighborhood they reside in. As I stated before the welfare system was created to provide assistance to individuals who have fallen on hard times due to some extenuating circumstance in their life. “The institutionalized program was set up to be an offset measure for those in need, not a complete replacement of income and benefits.” (Welfareinfo.org) The federal government defined the minimum needs a family with no income has. “The needs standard includes food, clothing, recreation, personal incidentals, fuel for heating, cooking and water heating, electricity for refrigeration and lights, household supplies, medical chest supplies and shelter.” (Welfareinfo.org) It is supposed to provide a minimum amount of money for only those who desperately need to meet the minimum standard of living. When large amounts of individuals receive welfare benefits, the amount of individuals receiving the help they desperately need is decreased. The government can only provide so much funding into these programs and when individuals begin to take advantage of the system it becomes ineffective.  In the case that a person makes the conscious decision to receive welfare instead of being employed it is no surprise that they do not spend their day being as productive as they could be. The ability for individuals like this to receive welfare contributes to a culture of laziness. Younger generations develop the belief that they are also entitled to the same benefits in life.

Recent changes to welfare systems have allowed these programs to become more effective than they originally were. The in statement of food stamps ensures that individuals are spending the money allocated for food actually on food. Applications for this aspect of the welfare program is processed the quickest to allow individuals to eat. There have also been changes to how poor individuals receive tax benefits from government funds. In order to receive these funds individuals must prove employment. This requirement of employment forces individuals who want to receive benefits to join an institution where they are positively contributing to society. There are also checks on one’s criminal backgrounds in order for them to receive welfare allowances. This measure safeguards the system from being flooded with criminals wanting to receive a cash handout. At the most a family of four can receive up to $900 a month through welfare benefits and individuals can receive up to $300 a month. (Welfareinfo.org) The most amount of money a family can receive is not enough to provide for a family of four, but it is enough to make sure some of their financial strain is lifted. $300 a month does not seem like enough for an individual to live off of, but if they choose residency in an area with cheap housing this $300 may be enough to make ends meet to some extent. In order to ensure the success of modern welfare programs more stipulations on employment need to be put into place. There is nothing wrong with individuals needing help from time to time to make ends meet, but this should be a transitional period in their life. Welfare has never meant to be sustainable income for anyone.

Welfare statistics found at: http://www.welfareinfo.org/payments/