Evidence of public and private interest in programs designed to strengthen the institution of marriage and reduce the number of children growing up without both their parents is growing. Robin Dion addresses the question of whether such programs can be effective, especially among disadvantaged populations. She begins by describing a variety of marriage education programs. Although new to the so...

The United States public welfare system has been a source of discontent for many years. The system has been characterized as one that discourages work, undermines the family, and perpetuates dependence. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, many experts believed that the negative income tax represented a simple and desirable alternative to the existing programs. The complex set of cash and in-kind...