Particular Concepts, Theories And/or Content Research Paper

Evaluation regarding how accurately and thoughtfully the article presents the subject matter

While everyone has choices, of course, some people have far more than others. In this article, Mencimer made the connection between helplessness and domestic violence clear by pointing out the inordinately adverse impact that the economic downturn has had on many young unwed mothers. Moreover, the author takes special pains to graphically illustrate how this connection can become inextricable over time, with the exigencies of day-to-day living with a newborn and perhaps several other children, making escape from this pattern particularly challenging. Rather than being so many "baby machines" churning out one dependent after another to pad the welfare checks, Mencimer emphasizes that Clark's situation is more complicated because of her mental health issues (she suffers from ADHD and bipolar disorder), but it is mirrored time and again across the country, and her baby, "Gabby," differing only in minor details, with domestic violence being a commonplace outcomes for many of these vulnerable women and their children.

Assessment concerning whether the article serves to dispel myths about your interest area or promote them

An interesting issue to quickly emerge from this article concerned the desire of many unwed mothers to improve their condition rather than simply have more babies to make more money from welfare.According to Mencimer, "Clark was worried. She needed to get a job so she could keep food in the house; she was haunted by the possibility of losing Gabby if she didn't. But there were serious obstacles. She's been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD" (2009, p. 41). This condition even affected Clark's ability to use public transportation to seek and maintain gainful employment, even assuming she could secure a job with her childcare needs and mental health issues.

If there is an intersection of intimate partner violence and child abuse, does the article appropriately address this?

Although not specifically addressed, Mencimer does discuss the effects of family violence and how child abuse can even extend into adulthood. For instance, Mencimer reports that one of the positive outcomes of Clark's visit to the local Division of Family and Children Services office was the assistance she received to prevent further abuse by her baby's father who continued to stalk her after their split-up. In this regard, Mencimer writes, "Federal law requires caseworkers to ask applicants about domestic violence, and when Clark mentioned that Gabby's father was stalking her, a concerned caseworker.....