Understanding the Social Safety Net: Lessons from the Work of Rebecca Blank

Over many years, the research and writing of Rebecca Blank provided insightful analysis of poverty and the social safety net in the U.S. A number of lessons can be drawn from her work—about the social safety net and about policy-relevant scholarship—that remain crucial. Blank’s work shows us the importance of considering heterogeneity among those who live in poverty. It highlights the patchwork nature of the social safety net as well as the role played by both geographic variation and race in determining antipoverty policy in the U.S. Her lessons on scholarship include the value of measurement and of high-quality research that considers both benefits and costs of policies. Finally, Blank’s work shows us that the perception that “nothing works†to reduce poverty misinterprets history and ignores a growing body of evidence.