Poverty

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Serving Children, Families, and Communities

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Poverty

Q:	Does the proportion of juveniles living in poverty vary by race?
A:	In 2007, black juveniles and Hispanic juveniles were 3 times as likely to live in poverty as non-Hispanic white juveniles.

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.

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Regardless of race or Hispanic ethnicity, the proportions of juveniles living in poverty in 2007 were near their lowest levels since the mid-1970s.
The proportion of non-Hispanic white juveniles in poverty has been relatively stable since 1976 (varying between 9% and 15%). Comparatively, the proportions of black juveniles (varying between 30% and 48%) and Hispanic juveniles (varying between 27% and 42%) living in poverty showed greater variation between 1976 and 2007.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/population/qa01402.asp?qaDate=2007. Released on September 12, 2008.

Data Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census. Current Population Survey - Historical Poverty Tables. Table 3: "Poverty Status of People, by Age, Race, and Hispanic Origin: 1959 to 2007." [Internet release date: August 26, 2008]. Web-based data files available at: [http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/histpov/perindex.html].