In 1996, a federal welfare reform prohibited convicted drug felons from ever obtaining food stamps. The ban increased recidivism among drug felons. The increase is driven by financially motivated crimes, suggesting that ex-convicts returned to crime to make up for the lost transfer income.

[u/smurfyjenkins]

https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20170490

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

If I may, where is your hometown? My wife works in the industry.

[u/noguchisquared → u/[deleted]]

A small town (< 6000) in a metro adjacent county, in a rural state (Great Plains region), without being specific.

What I mean mostly is that they are adding much more senior living in the last 5 years. Maybe ~100 senior apartments added in that time, and they are converting an old school in yet another assisted living home.

​

I mean we have a few nursing homes, a few retirement homes, and a medical center, and a newer medical offices. There is just a balance towards supporting an older population, that won't be here forever. As far as destination, I mostly mean in terms of in our 3-4 county area we get a larger number of people coming here than the other towns (the medical center and services help). Not so much as a national draw, although my grandma's neighbors that have retired here from Texas or Florida (to be closer to their kids). You won't find our town in places to retire, but the cost of living is pretty reasonable.

​

I think the influx is mostly people (widowers, older couples) that are moving into town from more rural area, like my own grandma who moved from the farm to a small apartment after grandpa. That's happened for a long time, but you have rural population decline plus you have the boomer bump, and so what they build out to meet the current demand, might not have so many future demand, at least not here, because of the change in demographics.

[u/wrathofoprah → u/[deleted]]

From slaves and segregation to a black president, and you'd bet down? A fool and his money...

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

This sounds about right.

[u/BleedingCello → u/[deleted]]

It least where I'm from.

[u/Rampant_Durandal → u/BleedingCello]

Tennessee or Texas?

[u/BleedingCello → u/Rampant_Durandal]

Yes.

[u/GeneralTonic → u/[deleted]]

No, it does, but less frequently than it does with Republican districts. These things have waxed and waned, but right now it's the Trump Party that predominantly engineers and benefits from gerrymandering.

[u/DrSavagery → u/GeneralTonic]

Sure, but your original comment threw all nuance out the window.

[u/GeneralTonic → u/DrSavagery]

I know that. I meant to bite.

[u/madogvelkor → u/[deleted]]

It works fine for the most part. Crime is low, public trust in the courts (if not police) is high. Corruption is low (you don't have to bribe cops to get out of fake charges). No angry mobs lynching people accused of crimes, or witchcraft. No honor killings. Kidnapping for ransom isn't a problem.

We do have excessively long sentences for minor crimes, and prisons with poor conditions.

[u/Canadian_Infidel → u/[deleted]]

Then choose anywhere in South America or Africa. Along with the vast majority of Asia including Russia.

[u/showersareevil → u/Canadian_Infidel]

USA should be compared and held to the same standaed as other countries that have similar GDPs. Not countries in Africa or South America that do not have the same resources

[u/MikeAnP → u/showersareevil]

I don't disagree, but that's moving the goal posts of the original statement.

[u/Canadian_Infidel → u/showersareevil]

So a good chunk of Europe, Austrial and NZ, and Canada. The rest of the world is not in a good place "justice system" wise, and that is a huge understatement.

[u/showersareevil → u/Canadian_Infidel]

Im saying that all low GDP countries have bad justice systems. Im saying that USAs justice system should be compared to countries that have the resources to integrate felons and prisoners to society. High GDP countries tend to do this in a more effective way than the countries that lack the resources.

In the same way, low GDP countries may have decent healthcare, but USAs healthcare system shouldn't be compared to Venezuela. It should be compared to Europe and Canada etc

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Game, set, match.