Detailed Review on “American Social Welfare Policy: A Pluralist Approach”

One of the most thorough and current books on American welfare policy is unquestionably Howard Karger and David Stoesz’s (2013) “American Social Welfare Policy: A Pluralist Approach.” The main welfare state-supporting programs in the US, including TANF, Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, are critically analyzed in this book. According to chapters 15 and 16, the housing and child protection policies are maybe the most significant aspects of the American welfare system.

The development of American child welfare systems is the main topic of Chapter 15 of Karger and Stoesz’s (2013) book. It starts by reviewing the development of American child protection laws since the seventeenth century. Following the Social Security Act, different states established centers that offered protective services to children. However, due to lack of standardized care, child welfare services differed within and between states. From 1960, incidences of child abuse and neglect increased leading to the establishment of various Acts and agencies (Karger & Stoesz, 2013). Second, this chapter focuses on foster care as a service to children facing abuse. Apart from child abuse foster care depends on parents’ situations and availability. About permanency planning, adoption remains a critical child welfare service. However, for approval to be successful, relevant parties must consider a child’s racial and cultural groups. Finally, Head Start as a child welfare service addresses the lack of educational preparation among poor children.

In Chapter 16, Karger and Stoesz (2013) analyze not only the importance of an appropriate house but also the challenges of acquiring one in America. The chapter provides a brief history of the housing legislation since 1937 to 1990 when Congress approved the Cranston-Gonzales National Affordable Housing Act. Karger and Stoesz (2013) note that the federal government, in an attempt improve citizens’ financial standards, introduced the affordable housing plan. Arising issues in this housing policy include the loss of home equity where homeowners find that their remaining mortgage debts surpass the value of their homes. Due to home equity, most mortgage lenders suffered the subprime crisis which imploded in 2007. The downsides of homeownership programs include congestion in affordable neighborhoods, high crime rates, and few job opportunities. In future, the government ought to actively address the housing crisis in America.

Reference

Karger, H. J., & Stoesz, D. (2013). American Social Welfare Policy: A Pluralist Approach. New Jersey: Pearson.