SOC 320 Week 3 Journal

Reflections on Federal Welfare Policy

For your journal entry, you will explore aspects of your personal experience and/or beliefs regarding significant public policies and what you have learned in your readings. As you reflect, please address the following questions:

There are several federal welfare programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Section 8 Housing Assistance, Food Stamps, Medicaid, among others.  Pick two of these policies and describe:

What social problem they are intended to address

What population they serve  

Assess the strengths and any issues of each program.  

For each program, do you think it is working well?  If so, why?  If not, what alternative program would you recommend to address the same social issue?  

What were your thoughts about federal welcome programs prior to reading this week’s reading assignment?

How has your perspective been either reinforced or changed now that you are more informed?