final paper

ORGANIZATIONS ADDRESSING THE SOCIAL PROBLEM PAPER 6

Organizations Addressing the Social Problem Paper

The present paper is based on the social problem about graying of America. In this paper, discussions highlight the two organizations namely Social Security and Department of Justice how play role to address the issue. Furthermore, an account about two concepts from the textbook concerning this social problem has also been discussed.

The two organizations addressing the issues are Social Security and Department of Justice.

According to the Social Security, increase in the percentage of elderly people will increase the need for medical attention which leads to financial challenges in near future. The life expectancy in America has improved from 1950 from to 78 years in 2012(Gorman, 2012). Today, the life expectancy has improved and three workers are supporting one retiree compared to 1950 where 16 workers supported 1 retiree (Gorman, 2012). By 2030, one-third of American prisoners are expected to be made up of elderly people. Prisons were not designed to provide basic facilities required by elderly inmates. Elderly people are faced with mobility impairment, hearing loss and cognitive impairment (Fischer, 2015).

Social Security Administration is suggesting increasing the pay roll tax, reducing the retiree’s benefits or combining both approaches to address the social problem. Reducing the retiree benefits will reduce the cost of supporting the graying population. On the other hand, increase in tax for the working class will raise more funds to take care of the elderly(Niles, 2016).According to US Department of Justice, keeping the elderly in prison for decades is unsustainable and inhumane but also releasing them without supports services is not the solution to the problem. In New York, the Osborne Association is planning to begin a pilot project to oversee discharge and case management for elderly. The department is also looking for other ways of dealing with the looming crisis of elderly prisoners to reduce the cost. The main goal of the prisons is to give best support for the aging inmates.

1. Functionalist perspective

According to functionalists, different parts of the society work together to ensure smooth running of the society. Therefore, the graying population is of great importance Functionalists argue that the aging population is a huge burden to the economy. Social security benefits the recipients, businesses and families. Graying in America will strain nursing homes with its rising population (Kendall, 2012). There graying population will create a huge percentage of dependency. According to functionalist, there will be more cost of sustaining aged prisoners due to special attention required by the elderly. Increase in aged prisoners will increase the number of social withdrawal, meaning that more people will be lonelier. The increase in the number of nursing homes is explained by the increase in the aged population. The social problem increasing aged population will be an extra cost to taxpayers to support the retirees. More adults will be living away from their parents living in nursing homes.

1. Conflict perspective

Social problems are natural and inevitable, the graying American population will further their interest at the expense of the younger generation. More resources will be consumed by the aged population at the expenses of the younger generation. The working class will be forced to pay more tax to take care of the elderly. High cost of caring the graying American population will cause strain to the younger generation affecting the social order stability (Trevino, 2014). On the other hand, the prisoners also depend on taxpayers’ money; the working class will have to pay more in order to take care of the aging inmates. From the conflict perspective the issues of concern about the social problem of graying American is struggle for the available resources among the aged and the younger generation.

In summary, Social Security and Department of Justice are the two organizations dealing with the social problem about graying of America. With increasing the pay roll tax and reducing the retiree’s benefits are the ways by which Social Security address the social problem. Whereas, US Department of Justice is enabling prisons for giving best support to the aging inmates. Regarding functionalist and conflict perspectives, the aging population is a huge burden to the economy and management of resources for young generation.

Fischer, E. G. (2015). Address the graying of prisons. Times Union, 1-2.

Gorman, S. (2012). Rep. Frank Wolf says fewer workers are supporting more Social Security beneficiaries. Politikfact, 1-2.

Kendall, D. (2012). Sociology in Our Times. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Niles, N. J. (2016). Basics of the U.S. Health Care System. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Trevino, J. (2014). Investigating Social Problems. Washinhgton DC: Sage.