It is difficult to argue that in the United States, every social policy enactment and implementation tends to reflect social-economic problems for the American society. In the article “After Welfare” Katherine Boo describes an American journalist who dedicated most part of her professional work to individuals living in poverty. She effectively describes the life of the ghetto area of Washington, D.C. after the enactment of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act (2001). In this way, the author provides a thorough panorama of the social issue, which is centralize on social welfare and racism. One way or another, it is also possible to view the article by Boo from the perspective of the study provided by Hobart A. Burch (1932-2012), an American sociologist, who in his book The Why’s of Social Policy: Perspective on Policy Preferences (1991) promotes the concepts of “conflicting beliefs and values” that tend to affect social policies in the United States significantly (p. 27). Taking into account Burch’s theory, it becomes possible to state that the social policy described in the article by Boo may be viewed at least in the context of the double standard concept.…show more content… The author reflects the “post-welfare world” where Elizabeth receives an opportunity to become a police officer and thus, (insignificantly) improve her yearly income (p. 94). Nonetheless, although she does obtain her position of an officer, Elizabeth has, among other things, to be on a night shift patrol in Southeast D.C., which Boo names the “city’s most violent quadrant” (p. 94). Moreover, Southeast D.C. appears Elizabeth’s home district. Apparently, the author aims at highlighting the real social status of the Shrimp Boat, the ghetto area in Washington, D.C.: it has not changed
