Benefits and Employment: How Problem Drug Users Experience Welfare and Routes into Work
Benefits and Employment: How Problem Drug Users Experience Welfare and Routes into Work
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DOI：
10.1017/s004727941200030x
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发表时间：
2012-10-01
影响因子：
2
通讯作者：
Smith, Katherine
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Bauld, Linda;Mckell, Jennifer;Smith, Katherine
在许多发达国家，增加福利的条件性是一种日益增长的趋势，尤其是对一些可能被认为不值得国家支持的群体而言。问题吸毒者(PDU)就是这样一个群体，在英国，大多数PDU不起作用，高比例的人声称受益。促进这些人就业是一个政策目标，因为这被认为可以改善吸毒者的环境(并促进未来的禁欲)，也因为让所有群体脱离福利进入工作是最近福利改革的主要目的。然而，人们对PDU与英国福利制度的互动知之甚少，也不知道最近增加福利条件性的举措可能会如何影响这一弱势群体。本文首先探讨戒毒组及有关前线工作人员对吸毒者与福利制度互动的看法，以及影响他们就业前景的因素。研究结果表明，最近福利改革的某些方面，特别是福利的简化，可能有助于PDU与系统互动。然而，数据也强化了这样的说法，即如果没有密集的支持和需求方面的干预，增加制裁的使用不太可能成功地提高这一群体的就业率。
Increasing the conditionality of welfare benefits is a growing trend in many developed countries, particularly in relation to some groups who may be perceived as undeserving of state support. Problem drug users (PDUs) are one such group, and in the UK most PDUs do not work and a high proportion claim benefits. Facilitating the movement of these individuals into employment is a policy aim, because it is believed to improve the circumstances of drug users (and promote future abstinence) and because moving all groups off benefits and into work is a primary purpose of recent welfare reforms. Yet little is known about the interactions of PDUs with the UK benefits system or how recent moves to increase the conditionality of benefits are likely to affect this vulnerable group. This paper begins to address this gap by exploring the perceptions that PDUs and relevant frontline staff have of drug users' interactions with the welfare system and the factors affecting their prospects for employment. The findings suggest some aspects of recent welfare reforms, notably the simplification of benefits, may help PDUs interact with the system. However, the data also reinforce claims that the increased use of sanctions is unlikely to succeed in improving employment rates amongst this group without intensive support and demand-side interventions.