NEWS & OPINIONS
Poverty and Crime in America: What Can Happen in a Neighborhood When Violent Crime Goes Up
Research has found that violent crime negatively affects property values, employment, and outcomes for children. Good public safety policies are a prerequisite for fostering community environments where opportunities for upward mobility and a better life can flourish.
How safety-net benefits discourage low-income workers from escaping poverty
A new research paper from GCO shows the ways social safety-net programs like food stamps and Medicaid provide critical support but also discourage career advancement.
Want our kids to be seen, heard, and valued? Get the community involved.
By engaging with the building blocks of raising highly capable kids, parents and communities can get kids on a path to enriching relationships, meaningful work, and better quality of life.
Marriage Rates in Georgia Are Down. But Marriage Still Matters For Quality of Life and Upward Mobility.
Georgia has seen a decline in marriage rates, mirroring a national trend and raising important questions about the impact of marriage on personal well-being and societal mobility.
Two new laws bring good news for charitable giving in Georgia
Thanks to two bills passed in 2024, Georgians can continue donating generously without fear their wishes will be violated or their identity disclosed.
Op-Ed: This Father’s Day, men are struggling. We need to help them
RANDY HICKS, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR As we celebrate Father’s Day on June 16, it’s time for a renewed call to help men flourish in modern-day America. It’s well past time to begin addressing what has emerged as a deep problem in the United States: Aimless, lonely,...
Atlanta has $29.8 million in public safety funding for 2025. Here’s why it matters.
Atlanta’s City Council has adopted its budget for 2025, and it has devoted public safety funding to a few best practices that are good news for crime-weary residents.
9 Benefits of Work for Teens and Young Adults
Our review of the research uncovered nine benefits of work that help young people develop the foundations for success in every area of life.
Everything to Know About Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) in Georgia
Education plays a powerful role in breaking the cycle of poverty and helping children lead healthy, flourishing lives. Education savings accounts in Georgia are a solution to help more of Georgia’s kids get the benefits of a quality education.
BETTER WORK and Jobs for Life: Giving Georgians a Path to Find Purpose and Possibility in Work
Our BETTER WORK initiative is unique because we help people move from crisis situations and into a mindset and support system that empowers them to pursue long-term employment. How do we do it? A partnership with Jobs for Life.
Georgia Passes Promise Scholarships and Expands Education Opportunity
On April 23, 2024, Governor Brian Kemp signed SB 233, the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act, into law. This education savings account program—the first of its kind in Georgia—will allow eligible students to receive $6,500 state-funded scholarships that they can use to access the education option that best fits their needs.
Safer Kentucky Act: Six Crime Reforms Included and How They Help
The Safer Kentucky Act (House Bill 5) is a package of crime-related bills, including six GCO-recommended solutions for restoring community safety and better opportunities close to home, especially in impoverished neighborhoods that tend to bear the brunt of increasing violence.
MEDIA MENTIONS
Graduate puts on ‘another shield of armor’ to build career, and a better life.
As the time for his graduation ceremony approached, Michael Averett joined his classmates in a small classroom. He donned his cap and gown. Just down a short hallway, family and friends waited for the ceremony to commence. When asked for his thoughts, Averett said it...
Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor
As Congress continues to debate the Farm Bill and the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, a critical flaw in the U.S. safety net system remains largely unaddressed: benefits cliffs. Our research, alongside studies from the Atlanta Fed and...
Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor
As Congress continues to debate the Farm Bill and the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, a critical flaw in the U.S. safety net system remains largely unaddressed: benefits cliffs. Our research, alongside studies from the Atlanta Fed and...
Strengthening Partnerships: Valley Hospital & Community Organizations
Featured in the Valley Hospitality Newsletter We’re excited to share that on Thursday, September 19, 2024, Bella Marshall from our Human Resources team met with key leaders to solidify partnerships that will enhance our workforce initiatives at Valley Hospitality....
Point: When Violent Crime Was at Its Worst, Congressional Action Helped – DC Journal – InsideSources
For an alternate viewpoint, see “Counterpoint: The 1994 Crime Bill’s Legacy — Thirty Years of Failure.” By the early 1990s, the United States had experienced dramatic and unprecedented surges in crime, with the violent crime rate up 470 percent from 1961 and the...
Report: Welfare a barrier to economic mobility for low-income workers
At a campaign stop in North Carolina last month, Vice President Kamala Harris suggested that efforts to combat price gouging are needed to help poor and middle-class households. But a new research report shows that government transfer benefits are contributing to the...
New Crime Fighting Proposals in CA – Josh Crawford Guest on Conway and Larson
Leland Conway meets with Josh Crawford to discuss real solutions for combatting crime in California. Listen to the full interview
“DOING RIGHT BY KIDS” BOOK EVENT TOMORROW
One of my colleagues Josh Crawford, contributed to a book titled “Doing Right by Kids: Leveraging Social Capital and Innovation to Increase Opportunity.“ The book will be released next week, but tomorrow the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) will host what they’re...
