The Poverty Industry: The Exploitation of America's Most Vulnerable Citizens

Poverty is here painted as an industry that, like the defense industry, has an iron triangle. As explored by Hatcher (law, Univ. of Baltimore), it depicts revenue maximization services and contingency fees that decrease the funds from the federal government that go to helping children and the poor. Hatcher seeks to make the case that present government policies and fiscal management lead to mismanagement of government funds intended to aid children in foster care. His intention is "to make plain how this money is disappearing, who it winds up benefiting, and who is ultimately hurt." Advocating for his past clients of the child welfare system, Hatcher seeks to bring to public attention the revenue tactics that reroute child welfare funds into state coffers and fees for consulting services. In order to protect the resources of children in state custody, Hatcher suggests legislative reform that calls for child welfare agencies to focus on their mission of aiding children.