Federal Government Can Do More to Redress Poverty, Clearinghouse Review Says

Federal government programs are key to meeting the complex challenge of poverty head-on. Without such programs, poverty would not have been reduced by half over the past 40 years. Poverty is on the rise, however. The federal government, which can build economic opportunities and help people escape poverty, has instead cut supportive programs for low-income communities.

The upcoming May–June 2006 special issue of Clearinghouse Review: Journal of Poverty Law and Policy puts poverty on the national agenda. It articulates innovative and workable solutions to poverty through law and policy. The articles describe what the federal government can do more to redress poverty, examine the lessons learned from early federal antipoverty programs, and demolish the often-heard argument for a small and passive federal government. In a roundtable discussion, leading experts in poverty law exchange views on the essential elements of a strong federal antipoverty policy. Off the press in June, the special issue contributes to the national debate on how to rebuild impoverished communities.

Each year a special issue of Clearinghouse Review focuses on a current topic of interest—an emerging legal issue or one cutting across practice areas or one overlooked but needing attention. In 2006, the Clearinghouse Review’s 40th year of continuous publication, a second special issue, the July-August, will deal with the right to counsel in civil cases.

For more information, contact Ilze Hirsh, Clearinghouse Review editor.