Table of Contents
Why Consider Opposing Viewpoints? 11
Introduction 14
Chapter 1 What Problems Are Faced by Urban America?
Chapter Preface 18
1 The Government Can Help End the Cycle of Urban Poverty Barack Obama 20
2 Government Efforts to End Urban Poverty are Counterproductive Steven Malanga 32
3 Urban Blight Contributes to Crime Carolyn Y. Johnson 43
4 Urban Blight Does Not Contribute to Crime C.R. Sridhar 49
5 Urban Homelessness Is a Serious Problem for African Americans Maco L. Faniel 58
6 New Programs Can Help End Urban Homelessness Ian Merrifield 55
Periodical Bibliography 70
Chapter 2 What Government Programs Would Improve Urban America?
Chapter Preface 72
1 Mixed-Income Public Housing Improves Urban America Charles Woodyard 74
2 Mixed-Income Public Housing Has Not Improved Urban America James Tracy 82
3 Urban Rail Transit Benefits Cities Todd hitman 92
4 Urban Rail Transit Does Not Benefit Cities Randal O'Toole 98
Periodical Bibliography 104
Chapter 3 How Can the Lives of Urban Children Be Improved?
Chapter Preface 106
1 Curfews May Reduce Crime and Protect Urban Youth Martha Yeide 108
2 Curfews Do Not Reduce Crime and Protect Urban Youth Tony Favro 114
3 Charter Schools Can Benefit Urban Students Monica Rohr 120
4 Charter Schools Do Not Benefit Needy Urban Students Sharon Higgins Caroline Grannan 131
5 Mentoring Programs Help Urban Youth Leslie Talmadge 137
6 Not All Mentoring Programs Are Effective: Society for Research in Child Development 142
Periodical Bibliography 147
Chapter 4 What Is the Future of Urban America?
Chapter Preface 149
1 Smart-Growth Policies Will Improve Urban Areas Neal Peirce 151
2 Smart-Growth Policies Will Harm Urban Areas Randal O'Toole 161
3 Downsizing Large Cities Can Be Beneficial Brian J. Connolly 172
4 Downsizing Large Cities Is Harmful Roberta Brandes Gratz 178
Periodical Bibliography 185
For Further Discussion 186
Organizations to Contact 188
Bibliography of Books 193
Index 197
