Three intriguing posts related to poverty … and some meandering commentary on my part. Fred on the real meaning of ‘credit-worthiness’:
"Credit worthiness" is marketed as a synonym for trustworthiness, but such a thing is not readily quantified. What the ratings actually measure are things like income and assets — wealth, in other words. They also take into account payment histories — whether a person has been overdue with or negligent in making payments. This payment history is, of course, merely a way of restating and reinforcing the prior category of income and assets. Payment history is just one way to inflate the simple question of wealth or poverty into a matter of character.
Jerilyn directs us to a report connecting crime with a lack of affordable housing:
Hagerdorn points out that when New York invested $1 billion in affordable housing in the South Bronx, the murder rate went down.
Atrios comments thusly:
Adequate and stable housing is a precondition for access to the economic system in this country (as is, increasingly, things like an email address). To the extent this kind of research holds up, we may find that using public money to improve the lot of the poor is a more efficient way to reduce crime than the standard deterrence – the potential for long prison sentences.
Stability is key. In my work, what I find is common to most of our clients is an inability to plan for the future due to a lack of stable housing, income, and social support. I call it the ’short horizon’ – you only have enough time/energy/foresight to look at what’s right ahead of you. This is not a universal state – but an oft-true generality.
What we keep in mind is a sort of ‘decision tree’ of which assistance will promote greater stability first; and everything we offer or suggest is meant to be a small step toward great change. More often than not, we deal in the bottom two rungs of Maslow’s Hierarchy: Basic Physiological Survival first (emergency medical treatment, food, shoes, temporary shelter), then Safety & Security (transitional/long-term housing, access to stable income, medical treatment for a chronic condition).
There’s not a lot of time for learning how to ask nicely for what you need when you REALLY REALLY need it. People find an approach that works, and stick with it. Sometimes, that approach is violent or – at the least – antagonistic. If you get a response more quickly with a threat, you learn that’s the most expedient approach to having your needs met. In all honesty, that’s true with all of us – if we get what we want by being obnoxious, we learn to be obnoxious.
Fred talks about Credit Scores used as shorthand for Character. Poor Credit = Poor Character, preemptively limiting access to opportunities.
Jerilyn & Atrios rightfully talk about the connection between stable housing and a reduction in crime.
When only those who can afford the going rate are allowed to have stable access to housing & food, we will see violence in response. People with a relatively stable environment are less likely to lash out in anger – and less likely to make decisions based purely in short-term gain (robbery to support a drug habit, for example) – because they no longer have to rely upon the most expedient (often violent or criminal) approach to meeting their basic needs.
That’s been my experience. Your mileage may vary.
