Blog # 8 - Urban Poverty

There is a phenomenon of urban poverty which is different than poverty within the city. Urban poverty is similar to working poor and inner city poverty because those everyday struggles with income, and childcare are still prevalent; however urban poverty has a different list of concerns as well. According to Chaudry in Putting Children First, there are two primary factors that lead to the problems of families in urban areas. These factors are: “the decline in urban labor markets and the out-migration of better-employed residents” (Chaudry, 2004, p.128). Also, according to Chaudry there are many other factors that have an effect on poverty, one main one is being jobless. This occurs due to loss of businesses and basic services that create job opportunities for working families. It has become a trend that male unemployment and incarcerations have increased in urban areas, which leaves many families to be lead by single mothers who are dependent on welfare. Due to these conditions and lack of transportation, these urban areas are becoming more and more excluded from larger cities. This exclusion is a huge concern because jobs are scarce in urban areas and there are poorly functioning public facilities such as school that do not ensure positive learning or hospitals that do not ensure proper healthcare.

The high levels of crime are also a major problem in urban poverty. Single mothers are forced to worry about their safety and the safety of their children because there are high levels of crime and violence. In these areas there is also an increase in drug consumption, drug abuse, and drug trafficking which makes these areas unsafe for families. As cited in Chaudry, Peter Marcuse calls urban poverty areas, “outcast ghetto’s”. He explains that, “people living in the outcast ghetto are removed from the dominant society both physically and economically” (Chaudry, 2004, p.129). These issues alone are very problematic; however single mothers in urban poverty also share the same struggles with childcare as working poor mothers. These children are bounced between childcare arrangements, which negatively affect a child’s development. This type poverty also is repeated in a cycle similar to working poor families. Children are more likely to drop out of school to try and help support their families and more girls will get pregnant younger, which will keep them in the poverty state that they grew up in.

The only way these cycles will change is if more people take initiative to help those in need, however with the economy issues we are having I think everyone is struggling to get by.