Stuff to Blog About and More: US juveniles living below the poverty

The proportion of juveniles living below the poverty level has declined substantially from its peak in 1993, but it is well above that of older Americans. Percent in poverty by age, 1975-2006

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In 2006, 12% of all persons lived at or below their poverty thresholds. This proportion was far greater for persons under age 18 (17%) than for those ages 18-64 (11%) and those above age 64 (9%).
Between 1993 and 2006, the juvenile poverty rate declined by 5 percentage points, compared with a 2-percentage point decline for persons age 18 and older.
In the mid-1970s, the proportions of juveniles and senior citizens living in poverty were about the same. In the last quarter of the 20th century, the proportion of senior citizens in poverty declined, while the juvenile poverty rates increased before falling back at the end of the century to levels of the mid-1970s.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/population/qa01401.asp?qaDate=2006. Released on December 13, 2007.

In 2006, black juveniles and Hispanic juveniles were 3 times as likely to live in poverty as non-Hispanic white juveniles.

Percent under age 18 in poverty by race/ethnicity, 1975-2006

Note: Poverty statistics on American Indians and Alaska Natives were not presented in the source reports. Race categories do not include persons of Hispanic ethnicity.

In 2006, the proportion of juveniles in poverty ranged from a low of 6% in New Hampshire to a high of 32% in the District of Columbia.

office of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention

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FTC: Your Rights: Credit Reporting

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, has prepared a brochure, Your Access to Free Credit Reports, explaining your rights under the FCRA and how to order a free annual credit report.

A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you've been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.

How do I order my free report?

You can order your free annual credit report online at annualcreditreport.com, by calling 1-877-322-8228, or by completing the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mailing it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

When you order, you need to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. To verify your identity, you may need to provide some information that only you would know, like the amount of your monthly mortgage payment.

A Warning About "Imposter" Sites

The FTC advises consumers who order their free annual credit reports online to be sure to correctly spell annualcreditreport.com, or link to it from the FTC's website to avoid being misdirected to other websites that offer supposedly free reports,but only with the purchase of other products. While consumers may be offered additional products or services while on the authorized website, they are not required to make a purchase to receive their free annual credit reports.

For more information on free annual credit reports, read Your Access to Free Credit Reports.