Question

Describe the Poverty issue in Baltimore and explain why the issue is important for society.

Answer 1

Baltimore is the largest city in the state of Maryland within the United States, The population of Baltimore is consists of African American approximately Black: 63.7% White: 29.6% as per 2010 census,

The reason for poverty in Baltimore is due to a weak education system, excessive use of drugs,

The definition of poverty, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is that one who does not have the usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possession is poor.

After the death of one black young man Freddie Gray’s in the hands of police, the riots took place that showed the intensity of poverty, as the looting, burning, and destruction took place in the city. The US government was surprised to notice the unrest following Gray’s death.

Almost a quarter of Baltimore residents live below the poverty line. The 2009-2013 censuses show 23.8 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and 29.4 % of children stay below the poverty line.

There are all interlinked reasons, the population staying below poverty, and the system of education is very weak, thus the dropout rate is higher, with no education no good job is offered, secondly if the man or woman who are responsible to take care of the children and dependent, as they are not educated they go for drug selling. The statistics state less than 58 percent of working-age black men are employed as compared to 78 percent of white working-age men are employed, that brings the rate of unemployment is very high with black African American.

The factors of a weak education system, higher dropouts, no good employment, poverty, and drugs lead to higher crime rates and looting, these all factors are responsible for poverty in Baltimore.

The issue is very important as compared to white there are more black people who are poor unless they want to change their condition themselves by education and having higher paid jobs, the drugs and illiteracy will keep them poor.