Poverty in NYC

Say it ain’t so: Poverty in The Bronx

Jamiah Taylor

SOC 490

Dr. Tim Delaney

August 4th 2021

Topic: Poverty in The Bronx

Introduction

The Bronx, one of the five boroughs of New York City, is one of the most populated counties in the U.S. The history of poverty in The Bronx can be dated back to the late 1960s and early 1970s when it experienced declined changes in housing, the economy, and quality of life generally (NYU Furman Center, 2016). Being a poverty-stricken county, the Bronx is associated with poor housing and living conditions, increased sick population, trashed roads, increased crime and violence, and increased abuse of drugs among the youths.

What is Poverty?

Poverty is defined as a lack of sufficient material goods or income to meet ones basic requirements (Gweshengwe & Hassan, 2020). Poverty can be associated with either economic, political, or social factors.

1. Poverty in the Bronx

In the Bronx, many people live under an average income which is not enough to cater to their basic needs (NYU Furman Center, 2016). Many are homeless too and there is no enough room in the shelters.

2. Poverty in the U.S

Despite the U.S being known as the richest country in the world, 34 million people among its population are said to be impoverished (Fay, 2021). Poverty in the U.S is measured as either relative or absolute poverty.

3. Poverty in the World

Every country experiences poverty but in varying degrees, with many African countries leading in poverty rates (Gweshengwe & Hassan, 2020).

Poverty in the Bronx as a Social Problem

Poverty affects a lot of communities in the world and has negative effects since it is one of the indicators of social class. Poverty increases violence, school dropouts, crimes, and deaths.

1) Poverty as an Objective Social Problem

The indicators of poverty involve the ability of a person or household to afford basic needs; which include food and water, shelter, clothing, and education (Mood & Jonsson, 2016).

2) Violence as a Result of Poverty

Apart from having scarce resources for both rich and the poor, people who are in poverty tend to engage in violent acts because of their conditions and bitterness (Papaioannou, 2017).

3) Crime as a Result of Poverty

Crime is associated with poverty in various ways. Many people who indulge in criminal acts are from poor households who want to steal for survival, which can lead to other unintended criminal acts (Papaioannou, 2017).

4) School Dropout due to Poverty

People who have low wages or are jobless cannot afford school fees for their children or themselves, hence quit education to look for other means of survival (Mood & Jonsson, 2016). Children school dropouts is associated with childhood poverty.

5) Death as a Result of Poverty

Many people who live in poverty lack the ability to afford good healthcare services which increases the risk of death from both preventable and unpreventable conditions (Mood & Jonsson, 2016).

Theoretical Analysis of Poverty

There are three broad theories of explaining the causes of poverty. They include;

I. Behavioral/individual theory

II. The structural theory of poverty

III. Political perspectives on poverty

Examining Poverty Through Sociological Methodology

The research methodologies to be included in understanding poverty in the Bronx will include, face-to-face interviews and observational studies.

a) Face-to-face interviews will determine people’s experiences with poverty. Examining the challenges of living a normal life with poverty and find out if poverty has made them engage in any bad behaviors.

b) Observational studies can be conducted to examine the different practices of the rich and the poor including living conditions, education levels, and their organization in the neighborhoods.

Conclusion

Poverty is an ongoing social problem in many places including the Bronx. Poverty has many negative impacts on a community since it affects the normal ways of living of the people. It is associated with negative behaviors such as crimes, school dropouts, and violence. There are individual, structural, and political theories that help in explaining and understanding the causes and existence of poverty.

Bibliography

Fay Bill. (2021, Apr 22). Poverty in the United States. https://www.debt.org/faqs/americans-in-debt/poverty-united-states/

Gweshengwe, Blessing, & Hassan, Noor H. (2020). Defining the characteristics of poverty and their implications for poverty analysis. Cogent Social Sciences, 6(1), 1768669. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2020.1768669

Mood C., & Jonsson, J.O. (2016). The social consequences of poverty: an empirical test on longitudinal data. Social indicators research, 127, 633–652. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-015-0983-9

NYU Furman Center. (2016). Poverty in New York City. https://furmancenter.org/files/sotc/SOC_2016_FOCUS_Poverty_in_NYC.pdf

Papaioannou, K.J. (2017). “Hunger makes a thief of any man”: Poverty and crime in British colonial Asia. European Review of Economic History, 21(1), 1-28.