A pioneering contribution to the literature, this book studies welfare dependence among families eligible for assistance under Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), the most controversial income-maintenance program in the nation. In contrast to most works in this area, which rely solely on household data, Vicky Albert uses aggregate data and time-series forecasting techniques to analyze the movement of low-income families to and from welfare. Through Albert's longitudinal perspective and close analysis of such factors as changing welfare policies, labor-market conditions, and...