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Articles by Megan Mumford
Who is out of the labor force?
Our nation’s labor force participation rate, or the fraction of adults who are either employed or are searching for work, has fallen steadily since 1999. This is a trend that many economists find troubling, as the labor force participation rate is an indicator of household living standards and economic vitality.
Twelve facts about incarceration and prisoner reentry
Over the past several decades the national experience of crime and incarceration has fluctuated dramatically. Crime rose between the 1960s and 1980s, but has declined since 1990. Incarceration began rising sharply in the 1980s and peaked in the 2000s before starting to fall. The high rates of incarceration over the last three-and-a-half decades have resulted in a large population of formerly incarcerated individuals across the United States.
The Economics of Private Prisons | Brookings Institution
In the two decades following 1980, the United States incarceration rate more than tripled. State officials carrying out stricter criminal justice measures faced increasingly crowded facilities and some turned to private companies to build or run their prisons.
Shifts in Household Spending over the past 30 years | Brookings Institution
It is commonly supposed that economic change affects the size of a household’s overall pie without much altering the pie’s composition: consumers may have more or less to spend in a given year, but spending patterns remain relatively constant. Evidence suggests that this is far from the truth. Understanding shifting spending patterns, including how much money remains in households’ budgets after purchasing basic needs, is an important aspect of understanding economic security.
Under Pressure: Shifts in Household Spending Over the Past 30 Years
Budgeting rules of thumb will tell you to follow the 50-30-20 guideline. Once you have calculated your after-tax income, you should allocate 50 percent to necessities, such as transportation and housing, 30 percent to “wants,” which include anything from phone bills to vacations, and 20 percent to savings for the future and repaying any debts. But the unfortunate truth is that for many Americans these guidelines simply aren’t realistic.
Under Pressure: Shifts in Household Spending Over the Past 30 Years
Budgeting rules of thumb will tell you to follow the 50-30-20 guideline. Once you have calculated your after-tax income, you should allocate 50 percent to necessities, such as transportation and housing, 30 percent to “wants,” which include anything from phone bills to vacations, and 20 percent to savings for the future and repaying any debts. But the unfortunate truth is that for many Americans these guidelines simply aren’t realistic.
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