[PEN-L:6756] Re: Poverty query

[Bill Moore <billkatt@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 17 Oct 1996, Max B. Sawicky wrote:

> The inventor of the current method was Mollie Orshansky,
> and libraries probably have some references by her as well,
> though nothing with her name on it would have current numbers.

Thanks for the cortex-tickle with Mollie Orshansky's name.  I simply couldn't
get the memory tape mounted from the ol' neuronal archive.  Here are two
references I was able to find on the origins of the definitions and
methodologies which, apparently, are still being employed:

_The Shape Of Poverty in 1966_ by Mollie Orshansky (in _Perspectives on
Poverty and Income Distribution_; James G. Scoville, ed.; 1971; D.C.
Heath and Co.)

And from a footnote in that:  "For a description and discussion of both
the Social Security Administration [poverty] indexes, see the _Social
Security Bulletin_ for January and July 1965 and April, May, and
December, 1966."  [The calculations are extended back to 1959.]

Bill the Cat in the What A Drag It Is Getting Old Hat