While politicians, academics and others debate funding programs, increasing criminal penalties, giving tax incentives to corporations to set up in divested neighborhoods — all with the good intention of lowering crime and giving young, poor kids a better chance of making it — the one issue many have avoided addressing is getting lawmakers to reduce marriage penalties in the welfare system.
The welfare system in America has done harm to poor families for decades. From 1935, when Aid to Dependent Children was created, until 1968, many states had a “man-in-the-house” rule that disqualified families with any adult male present in the household.
