Is Welfare Reform Working? A Study of the Effects of Sanctions on Families Receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families

Authors

Taryn Lindhorst, Southern University, New Orleans
Ronald J. Mancoske, Southern University, New Orleans
Alice Abel Kemp, University of New Orleans

Abstract

This research provides a preliminary descriptive analysis of the impact of new welfare sanctions on recipients living in a southern metropolitan region. The data from this phone survey indicate that many families report considerable hardship no matter why they exited from welfare. Compared to those who left voluntarily, those who were sanctioned off welfare were significantly different in terms of having unmet medical needs, going without food, and having their utilities turned off. Given the high number of problems reported and the low income reported by these respondents, it is not surprising to find that only 10 percent of former recipients who were sanctioned off of welfare feel that they are better off now than when they received cash assistance. These problems can represent a significant disruption in the lives of children and their parents.

Recommended Citation

Lindhorst, Taryn; Mancoske, Ronald J.; and Kemp, Alice Abel (2000) "Is Welfare Reform Working? A Study of the Effects of Sanctions on Families Receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 27: Iss. 4, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.2688
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol27/iss4/9