School of Social Work
311 Huey P. Long Field House
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Phone: (800) 848-7111
Phone: (225) 578-5875
Fax: (225) 578-1357

Poverty

Generally in the fall each year, the U.S. Census Bureau issues a report on poverty in the United States. The Census Bureau's Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006 is the most recent poverty report was issued in 2007.

The original poverty measures were developed the Social Security Administration. However, they are not the only ones as the Departement of Health and Human Services (HSS) also issues some guidelines.

There is a growing movement among academics and policy researchers to revise such guidelines and definitions to take into consideration not only a sense of place, but to capture all the aspects that poverty touches. For this reason the debate on how to measure and define poverty remains an important issue that will continue to evolve.