Dynamics of the food stamp program as reported in the survey of income and program participation

182 Pages·1993·9.2 MB·English

by  Burstein, Nancy R

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.
A) aan -_
a an ‘aga
aan
ae * Current Perspectives on Food Stamp Program Participation
==’ Dynamicsof the
“= Food Stamp Program as
Reportien dth e
Analysis and
survey of Income and
Program Participation |
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Vy
National Agricultural Library
United States Food and 3101 Park Center Drive
Department of Nutrition Second Floor
Agriculture Service Alexandria, VA 22302
Dynamics of the
Food Stamp Program as
Reportien dth e
Survey of Income and
Program Participation
Nancy R. Burstein
A product of
Abt Associates Inc.
55 Wheeler Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Under Subcontract to
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
January 1993
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author gratefully acknowledges the following individuals:
Katie Merrell, for her assistance with the programming;
Alice Robbin and Martin David of SIPP ACCESS at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Alberto Martini of MPR, and David McMillen of the
Bureau of the Census, for their help in using and interpreting the SIPP;
Pat Doyle of MPR, for the creation and documentation of an easily
accessible version of the SIPP Full Panel Research File;
Christine Kissmer, of the Food and Nutrition Service, for her guidance in
relating the analysis to current policy concerns;
Steven Carlson, also of the Food and Nutrition Service, for his many
excellent comments and suggestions;
Jean Wood, for her skilled supervision of the research project; and
Wiliam L. Hamilton, for his insightful contributions to all aspects of this
report.
FNS Contract Number: 53-3198-9-31
FNS Project Officer: Christine Kissmer
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EACCULLVE SUMMARY Fre smh or: Met ete eet ooo sea a's
ONE INTRODUCTION? <1... Seine. Crean. Pore: kee Gs. AMI,
CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING FOOD STAMP
DPT BEGINNING Omri ces ise cee ces ois ee oles dha ete «ls 5 5
AMAlVSIS OLA TitSe CVCUIS te vise, 5 65 Gis s & assis 6 Woe ernie oa ve otal e
Definition of Trigger Events and the Population at Risk ..............
POOULAUION GUDSTOUDS me teiias aoe cack hihegegviens RECAST OEMS G6 0. as
Overairrovabuity Of Opening, ....5.. Men: cc eG bss nt ek ee ns
Occurrence of Trigger Events: All Recipients ....................
Occurrence of Trigger Events: Earners vs. Nonearners ..............
Occurrence of Trigger Events: Education Subgroups................
Occurrence of Trigger Events: Demographic Subgroups .............
SLOT? Cue aad Beg Heraeus eel Ie ERE ee
Length of Completed Spells for Individuals ......................
Length of Completed Spells for Households .....................
STITTT S bes > ee: Seika aU ca a ra re ee
FOUR CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING EXITS FROM THE FOOD
BS ES WEES CSGI V et eset seeds a eso a8 vote a9) 6 Soe. p48 waa ms
Pretimitiomorer nie cer CVONts ag cr te eee gees kecapsid sas se
CWeLaUEELODaDUITV OME XILMe Reet te Rl te. calle ee a aie eels Gea
Occurrence of Trigger Events: All Recipients ....................
Occurrence of Trigger Events: Earners vs. Nonearners ..............
Occurrence of Trigger Events: Education Subgroups................
Occurrence of Trigger Events: Demographic Subgroups .............
a GET eis eee Car rat SPE ae Sher iyE O Ae
SUTT gP o creke. Goce ee Re ree
PRL REGIDIOCINS Bera tee cate etches) sa ve slats as sce 6s NoMesrsctoieest telsee s
EAI DCt RLV S INOUCAIICTS et tee en ir ahc askelel alate 2's 2.4.8 9% 209
OUCEUOU SUGIL OU D Smet te eee eters eles cleus tin sos 6 9 ce + wp een
Demographic Subgroups......... eee Ae MIRAE S ciiet "4, Wists (a 5s es
MUTT Tey ener clases out Ce A Git ia ear
iii
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B Details of Specification of Trigger Events ............---+e+e+e
APPENDIX C Methodological Issues in Estimating the Distribution and Mean of
Completed Spell. Lengths «,) 5.c ..:.cc 1. Fee enn se aoe
APPENDIX D The Welfare History Topical Module..............2 e.e.e -e0ee
APPENDIX E Distribution of Length of Completed Spells for Subgroups of Individuals
APPENDIX F Distribution of Length of Completed Spells for Subgroups of Households ...
APPENDIX G Sources of Differences Between Individual-Level and Household-Level
Distributions gc. id: ehex. SER Rak Piet re. ee
iv
LIST OF EXHIBITS
Page
Exhibit I.1 PADGLY SISO CINIDICS Mea eeNMrere as ere ae only rade 5508 5 8s ees a psG oa hd wide os 3
Exhibit II.1 PICTMUONS TER ECIDICNL SUD ZTOUDS 5c.) ec 2s «ss eure ous oes our 8 8 ue 11
Exhibit II.2 Overall Probability of Entering the Food Stamp Program Between
Two Consecutive Four-Month Periods ...............ee.e 2e2ee 13
Exhibit 11.3 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: All Individuals ........... 16
Exhibit 11.4 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: Individuals in
Households with Earnings in Baseline Wave ................--405% 20
Exhibit 11.5 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: Individuals in
Households with No Earnings in Baseline Wave ................-.. 21
Exhibit I1.6 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: Individuals in
Households Containing High School Graduates in Baseline Wave ........ 22
Exhibit I1.7 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: Individuals in
Households Containing Only High School Dropouts in Baseline Wave ..... 23
Exhibit II.8 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: Able-Bodied,
(childiesssindividGalSm@wwwaneet Ge sy. iim See... ke ee se ts 2
Exhibit II.9 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: Aged and Disabled
INGIVICaUl S ame etme enews ce ean Ae DE seg sg se Ge ss ke 26
Exhibit II.10 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: One Adult with
CTiUCCCN MARE ec re cs oy ee aS oss ves eh bee 24
Exhibit II.11 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: Multiple Adults :
witha OlGten maw eerie ek ae Mie Cow at Peale Ges ks ve ee 28
Exhibit [1.12 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: Children Living
with.One: A Cults ear, eaten a Ge noe ole el Damem eet. 6 sp peice ss os 3 29
Exhibit 11.13 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Openings: Children Living
ithe MUlDlG AGUItS ea nuree ee we ernr ses ante outa Paya ss eet. ows se 30
Exhibit 11.14 Distribution of Trigger Events for Openings: All Subgroups ........... 33
Exhibit IlI.1 Distribution of Length of Completed Spells: All Individuals ........... 36
Exhibit III.2 Length of Food Stamp Spells for Subgroups of Individuals ............ 37
Exhibit III.3 Distribution of Length of Completed Spells: All Households ........... 42
LIST OF EXHIBITS
(continued)
Page
Exhibit II.4 Distribution of Lengths of Spells for Households and Individuals ........ 44
Exhibit III.5 Length of Food Stamp Spells for Subgroups of Households ............ 45
Exhibit IV.1 Overall Probability of Exiting from the Food Stamp Program
Between Two Consecutive Four-Month Periods ...............-4-- 52
Exhibit IV.2 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: All Recipients ............ 54
Exhibit IV.3 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: Earners ...:....0)....... 56
Exhibit IV.4 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: Nonearmers ............. 57
Exhibit IV.5 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: High School Graduates ...... 59
Exhibit IV.6 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: High School Dropouts....... 60
Exhibit IV.7 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: Able-Bodied,
ChildlessAdults emcssseef?. ints? ogni se eee * eee 61
Exhibit IV.8 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: Aged and Disabled ......... 62
Exhibit IV.9 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: One Adult with
Children:*:3 aos fees’. aera? ate aT bs eet 64
Exhibit IV.10 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: Multiple Adults
with Children 4.4. af). cogekyesls 28 ate Seer T 86 tees. 65
Exhibit IV.11 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: Children with One
Adult sivts. ginletts. sageteast) oot-epae apart l ie anesccete: = Fae 66
Exhibit IV.12 Occurrence of Trigger Events for Closures: Children with
Multiple Adults..i.0% specu? 2cQ acne eS seuglhT Qe ecg hs 67
Exhibit IV.13 Recidivism: .°.5 55.0055: 5.55 ores coke Peels (oe ue een ce eee 68
Exhibit IV.14 Distribution of Trigger Events for Closings: All Subgroups ........... 70
Exhibit V.1 Patterns of Food Stamp Participation: All Individuals ............... 75
Exhibit V.2 Patterns of Food Stamp Participation for Earners and Nonearners ....... 76
Exhibit V.3 Patterns of Food Stamp Participation by Education ................. 78
vi