Research on income and poverty trends of Latinos relative to whites and blacks, 1972-92, explains little about erosion of Latinos' relative economic standing because it is limited to static description, does not sort structural and individual mechanisms undergirding inequality, and does not recognize increasing heterogeneity of the Latino…

Explores the historical development of adoption and fostering attitudes and practice in Britain, noting the influence of socioeconomic class, of the stigma of illegitimacy, and of national economic prosperity in child welfare trends since the Middle Ages. (HTH)

An analysis of recently published census data suggests that gender, race, and ethnicity strongly affect poverty rates. However, parenthood interacts with gender in such a way as to affect only women and to affect white women more than blacks and Hispanics. Competing arguments regarding public policy to alleviate such problems are considered.…

At age 17, Jaime Pinkham left the Nez Perce Reservation vowing never to return to the poverty and oppression he had experienced there. However, 12 years later, with a college degree in forestry and leadership skills, Pinkham returned home to become the natural resources manager for the Nez Perce Tribe. Includes Pinkham's thoughts on Indian…

To distinguish the homeless from the housed poor, 144 adults were randomly sampled from several sites and classified into 3 groups: the currently homeless, the previously homeless, and the never-homeless poor. The homeless group was less likely to be receiving public benefits and more likely to experience substance abuse and violence. (RJM)

The Card Connection: Business for Children project gives East Harlem elementary school children an understanding of economics. This greeting card business teaches math and communication skills, interview techniques, basic economics concepts, and salesmanship. Requirements include a minimal initial investment for materials and supplies, an…

Focuses on the plight of children living in poverty in the United States, and introduces a partial solution via integrated comprehensive school-linked services. The author describes why school-linked comprehensive services are needed, reveals the diminishing political commitment in addressing the problem, and explains how American Educational…

A survey of 102 urban school districts in large cities indicates that school districts have responded to the requirements of the Stewart B. McKinney Act for the education of homeless children to varying degrees. However, 69 percent of districts described the problem of homeless students as nonexistent or small. (SLD)

A white elementary teacher at a suburban school with multicultural programs discovered that his class of African American and Hispanic sixth graders thought they (and other dark people) were inherently bad and destined for poverty. Aided by a black guidance counselor, the teacher helped these kids shed their "badness" and understand…

Examines the child-care needs and arrangements of working and nonworking-poor and working-class families relative to middle-class families. Suggests that child-care decisions of low-income parents appear to be very similar to those of high-income parents; what differs is access, including convenience, and the ability to afford adequate programs.…

Data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (1985 wave) indicate that rural households have the highest probability of poverty, followed by metropolitan-core households. Household factors (educational attainment, family structure, age, minority status) and the local opportunity structure were important determinants of poverty, but controlling for…

Examines the relationship between the human population explosion, resource depletion, drought, malnutrition, and disease. As a sample study, mortality trends in Rajasthan State in India in the 1980s were analyzed to correlate the increased death rate with the drought of 1987. It is demonstrated that drought-induced malnutrition was the root cause…

Evaluates the extent to which differences in the economic well-being of Latino and non-Latino white children reside in divergent parental work patterns and/or family living arrangement. Results indicate that group differences in family structure undermine efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic inequalities in children's economic well-being. (RJM)

Because schools falter when children's lives are deprived, resource centers link Kentucky's schools and homes. The centers reside at schools where at least 20 percent of the students receive free meals. Centers help families obtain reliable health and child care, among other things. Each facility is tailored to specific community needs. (SM)

Explores the problem of urban violence, and discusses a research strategy that can help to explain this phenomenon. The author contends that research might best address violence if it was designed to include variables of poverty and racism and was more inclusive of research from a broader range of scientific disciplines. (GR)