Skip to main content
skip

Search form


  • About
    • About
    • Why the Ford School?
    • Legacy of Gerald Ford
    • Diversity commitment
    • Engagement
    • Global Ford School
    • Ford School Committee
    • Jobs
    • Contact us
    • Ford School Centennial
  • Academics
    • Academics
    • Course listing
    • Master's programs
    • Undergraduate program
    • Doctoral program
    • Academic resources
    • STPP Grad Certificate
    • PPIA program
  • Admissions
    • Admissions
    • Tuition and residency
    • Planning your visit
    • Request more information
  • Careers & internships
    • Careers & internships
    • Undergraduates
    • Graduate students
    • Why hire from the Ford School?
    • Policy Grads at work
  • Research & action
    • Research
    • Faculty experts
    • Visiting policymakers
    • Research centers
    • Faculty publications
    • Research publications
  • Student life
    • Student life
    • Student organizations
    • Housing
    • Ann Arbor
  • News & events
    • News & events
    • News
    • Events
    • Publications
    • Video
    • Social media
  • Giving
    • Giving
    • Why give
    • Where to give
    • How to give
  • Prospective Students
  • Current Students
  • Faculty/Staff
  • Employers
  • Policymakers & Press
  • Alumni
    • Alumni
    • Alumni events
    • Stay connected
    • Staebler Award
    • Alumni Board
Ford School Home PageThe Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan
  • Request a room
  • People
  • Intranet

Search form

  • About
    • About
    • Why the Ford School?
    • Legacy of Gerald Ford
    • Diversity commitment
    • Engagement
    • Global Ford School
    • Ford School Committee
    • Jobs
    • Contact us
    • Ford School Centennial
  • Academics
    • Academics
    • Course listing
    • Master's programs
    • Undergraduate program
    • Doctoral program
    • Academic resources
    • STPP Grad Certificate
    • PPIA program
  • Admissions
    • Admissions
    • Tuition and residency
    • Planning your visit
    • Request more information
  • Careers & internships
    • Careers & internships
    • Undergraduates
    • Graduate students
    • Why hire from the Ford School?
    • Policy Grads at work
  • Research & Action
    • Research
    • Faculty experts
    • Visiting policymakers
    • Research centers
    • Faculty publications
    • Research publications
  • Student life
    • Student life
    • Student organizations
    • Housing
    • Ann Arbor
  • News & events
    • News & events
    • News
    • Events
    • Publications
    • Video
    • Social media
  • Giving
    • Giving
    • Why give
    • Where to give
    • How to give
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Danziger comments on what we can learn from change in poverty rate under revised census measure

News


  • Upcoming Events
  • Past Events
  • News
  • Publications
  • Video
  • Social media
  • Upcoming Events
  • Past Events
  • News
  • Publications
  • Video
  • Social media

Danziger comments on what we can learn from change in poverty rate under revised census measure

Thursday, November 7, 2013
Danziger comments on what we can learn from change in poverty rate under revised census measure image

This week, the Census Bureau released 2012 poverty numbers under the supplemental poverty measure, which calculates the number of poor people in America as 3 million higher than the official count. Based on this revised formula, 1 and 6 US residents, nearly 50 million in total, are currently living in poverty. Sheldon Danizger was quoted in Associated Press and CNN Money articles about what these numbers indicate about poverty and what we can learn based on the deviation from the official count.

The supplemental poverty measure is aimed at calculating a more comprehensive poverty rate by factoring in living expenses, as well as the effects of non-cash government aid, such as food stamps and tax credits. It is generally considered to be more reliable by social scientists but does not replace the official government formula, which is used to allocate federal dollars and to determine eligibility for safety-net programs. Danziger commented on what these numbers indicate about the persistence of poverty, stating:

"The primary reason that poverty remains so high is that the benefits of a growing economy are no longer being shared by all workers as they were in the quarter-century following the end of World War II. Given current economic conditions, poverty will not be substantially reduced unless government does more to help the working poor."

The special report on the supplemental poverty measure also highlighted the impact of government programs that are not accounted for in the official measure. According to the new calculation, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program brings about 5 million people over the poverty line. Danziger noted:

"What I take away from the report is that the safety net works. The report shows that programs, particularly like refundable tax credits, housing subsidies, school lunch subsidies and food stamps, take people out of poverty."

Sheldon H. Danziger is currently serving as President of the Russell Sage Foundation. He is on leave as the Henry J. Meyer Distinguished University Professor of Public Policy and Research Professor at the Population Studies Center.

Share This
Tags: 
Poverty and social policy, Sheldon Danziger

Related News

View All
Oct 19, 2016
In New York Times, Luke Shaefer discusses new policy proposal on childhood poverty
With a forthcoming paper on childhood poverty about to be... more
Nov 06, 2015
Increasing work opportunities, reducing poverty two decades after Welfare Reform
A research article by Sandra K. Danziger , Sheldon Danziger... more

Related events

View All
Feb
23
2019 NASPAA-Batten Student Simulation Competition at Ford School
On February 23, the Ford School will host graduate students... more
Mar
26
Work | Force: Solving for jobs, mobility, and equity in an era of rapid change
The event will feature distinguished leaders in the field... more

Related Past Events

View All
Nov
19
Michigan's recession and recovery: Opportunities for the research, non-profit, and civic engagement communities
This event will bring together a variety of stakeholders to... more
2012 - 
  • 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Jul
01
Evaluating the impact of statewide supports to reduce within-school inequality: A study of focus schools in Michigan
Open to PhD students and faculty engaged in causal... more
2015 - 
  • 11:30 am to 1:00 pm

RESOURCES FOR:

  • Prospective Students
  • Current Students
  • Faculty/Staff
  • Employers
  • Policymakers & Press
  • Alumni
UMFS Ford School Link

Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

University of Michigan

735 South State Street | Ann Arbor, MI 48109

P: 734-764-3490 | F: 734-763-9181

Twitter
Facebook
Google Plus
Pinterest
Flickr
Youtube
Mission & Values
How to Give
**APPAM** **APSIA** **NASPAA** **PPIA**

About

  • About
  • Why the Ford School?
  • Legacy of Gerald Ford
  • Diversity commitment
  • Engagement
  • Global Ford School
  • Ford School Committee
  • Jobs
  • Contact us
  • Ford School Centennial

Academics

  • Academics
  • Course listing
  • Master's programs
  • Undergraduate program
  • Doctoral program
  • Academic resources
  • STPP Grad Certificate
  • PPIA program

Admissions

  • Admissions
  • Tuition and residency
  • Planning your visit
  • Request more information

Careers & internships

  • Careers & internships
  • Undergraduates
  • Graduate students
  • Why hire from the Ford School?
  • Policy Grads at work

Student life

  • Student life
  • Student organizations
  • Housing
  • Ann Arbor

Research & Action

  • Research
  • Faculty experts
  • Visiting policymakers
  • Research centers
  • Faculty publications
  • Research publications

News & events

  • News & events
  • News
  • Events
  • Publications
  • Video
  • Social media

Giving

  • Giving
  • Why give
  • Where to give
  • How to give

Alumni

  • Alumni
  • Alumni events
  • Stay connected
  • Staebler Award
  • Alumni Board

Intranet

Ford School Home Page© The Regents of the University of Michigan | Non-discrimination policy | U-M | Webmaster | Sitemap | Contact