The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has released a new, comprehensive report on Reducing International Poverty. At any given time over the past decade, about 10 million US children lived in families with incomes below the poverty line. The impacts of childhood poverty extend to nearly all facets of life and society, creating an intergenerational cycle of economic disadvantage.
The National Academies’ new report:
- Examines the drivers of long-term, intergenerational poverty;
- Analyzes its disproportionate impact;
- Identifies policies, interventions, and programs to reduce it; and
- Recommends actions to address gaps in data and research.
The report found direct evidence of success in reducing intergenerational poverty in policies and programs addressing five of the seven key drivers: (1) education; (2) child and maternal health; (3) family income, employment, and wealth; (4) housing and neighborhoods; and (5) neighborhood crime and the criminal justice system.