Views on Magnitude of Problem

Black Population

White Population

Hispanic Population

Low Income¹

Problem with Welfare System

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

Not doing enough to give poor people skills and training so they can get jobs.

72

15

11

46

29

24

59

28

13

59

22

17

Fraud and abuse by welfare recipients.

72

16

8

70

18

10

79

13

7

55

29

14

Encouraging poor young women to have babies out of wedlock, by giving cash assistance for children.

70

17

11

74

14

9

70

20

8

69

15

13

Providing benefits that are not enough for a family to get by on.

67

20

11

37

30

26

55

26

19

49

31

18

Treating poor people in disrespectful ways.

66

20

12

36

28

30

54

25

20

51

25

20

Not providing child care for those trying to work their way off welfare.

63

21

14

43

34

21

71

15

15

57

25

15

Cutting off health care and other benefits when a person on welfare gets a job, so that it often makes more sense to stay on welfare.

61

21

15

67

23

8

66

19

15

63

25

10

Failing to build self-esteem among people on welfare.

54

28

16

35

30

34

46

32

21

45

32

19

Providing benefits that are so generous that people don't have an incentive to work.

51

18

28

60

17

21

55

26

18

43

28

27

Fraud and abuse by welfare officials.

49

25

16

43

23

20

56

22

20

52

25

15

Total

N = 850

N = 728

N = 100

N = 801

1. 1995 Peter D. Hart survey for the Joint Center. Group percentages may not add to 100% due to exclusion of >don't knows=.