A number of social and life science studies show that living in poverty significantly increases the likelihood of incarceration, homelessness, being a single parent, dropping out of high school, and even dying at an earlier age. What’s more, some evidence also tells us that poverty and the stress associated with it affects brain development, including how we analyze and deal with problems, how we set goals, and how well we move forward. In other words, science has proven that poverty and stress jeopardize the very skills and behaviors people need most to get out of trouble.
