Социальные проблемы США и их решения (решения по каждой проблеме)

Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1. Estimation of the current social problems
1.1.Unemployment
1.2.Language barrier as a problem of social integration in the multinational community
1.3.Property status
1.4.Housing
1.5.Race discrimination
1.6.Gender discrimination
1.7.Criminality
1.8.Drug, alcohol and tobacco addiction
Chapter 2. Social policy efficiency
Conclusion
Bibliography
Glossary

Социальные проблемы США и их решения (решения по каждой проблеме)

Analyzing a variety of human rights discrimination,
Considering official language priorities and disregard of the national minorities languages,
Focusing on criminality and addiction as reflection of the people’s dissatisfaction with the current social system of the US as it is,
Evaluating the US social policy efficiency in whole and failures to resolve particular problems.
In each of the chapters to follow, the discussion of a given problem will be con­cluded by a special section on social policy. After a sketch of the major strategies for solution of the problem, each alternative pol­icy will be analyzed in terms of its ability to reduce human suffering in the real—i.e., so­cial—world. The latter discussion will recall the lessons just learned about the barriers to social prob­lem solving. A final policy segment will en­gage in evaluating the evidence about the past, present, and future effectiveness of the alternative social programs.
Conclusion
Social problems in the US and elsewhere have a dual nature. The objective dimension is one side of that nature, and it concerns the concrete harm associated with a given problem “out there" in society. The subjective dimension is public awareness and concern about that same problem, which often does not correspond to the objective level of suffering.
Understanding the social logic linking individuals and institutions is cru­cial here because the wrecks of social movements that lacked the knowledge requisite to their success take place again and again. Uninformed attempts to solve so­ciety's problems through social policy may be useless or worse. Good intentions must be tempered by sociological knowledge for this reason: the theory of causation of a social problem indicates the appropriate solution. Faulty theory therefore implies faulty policy. If the problem of poverty is viewed as a result of weak moral fiber, then the "disreputable poor" should not be coddled by giveaway programs; the solution lies in preaching to them to encour­age self-improvement. A theory blaming cam­pus protests by college students on permissive child-rearing practices suggests the appropriate answer: stricter parents. Once the cause of the social symptoms has been diagnosed—cor­rectly or incorrectly—it is natural to write a particular type of policy prescription. There is thus a premium on skillful sociological diagno­sis of objective causation.
Despite collective efforts of the Federal and state governments to solve them, social problems are a continuing reality of United States society. The barriers to simple solutions (value trade-offs, problem linkages, and implementation issues) have been revealed by sociological analysis. That revelation may improve the design of social policies by mini­mizing their collision with such barriers.
The USA can also take steps to decrease the overall inequality in our society so that more poor and near-poor people have a decent standard of living. So long as many Americans live considerably below the poverty line and many others live near the poverty line, there is an incentive for these Americans to find illegal means to survive. If they can have a decent standard of living via a legitimate job that pays above the poverty line, they will have less incentive to commit crime. So, it is in their vested interests as a country that we attempt to decrease inequality by redistributing resources somewhat if we want to have less crime.
It is also in the vested interests of nonpoor Americans to want less inequality in that these people will be less likely to be the victims of crimes such as burglary, robbery, and car theft. So, the society will be safer in addition to having less crime if we create a more equal society where the needs of poor and near-poor Americans are met.
One way to address racial prejudice and discrimination is for the government to sponsor public service messages on television and radio and to place ads in newspapers, in magazines, and on billboards along highways. By taking such steps, the government can communicate clearly and visibly to the American people that such a stance represents the will of the American people. In other words, to hearken back to our theory of conflict and social change, the government establishes a new legitimacy; that is, it is seen as right to act in a tolerant and accepting way toward fellow Americans of another racial/ethnic group. Private organizations can sponsor various activities with the intent of teaching tolerance and acceptance.
One advantage to keeping the current policy concerning drug addiction struggle is that by keeping marijuana, cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, and other drugs illegal and harder to get than they would be if they were made legal, the fact that these drugs are defined by the general society as illegal and bad will no doubt deter a number of people from using them.
A second advantage of keeping such drugs illegal is that the mere difficulty of obtaining the drugs and their cost, along with the unknowns or what is actually in the drugs one is buying, will deter a number of people from ever trying and using these drugs and hence prevent them from having drug-related problems in their lives, for example, in their jobs and with their families.