Pine Ridge Reservation's Alcohol Problem

Some may say that America is out of the recession. Some may also say that America’s turning into a third world country. To confirm both of these fears, you can look to Pine Ridge Reservation. Pine Ridge Reservation has two major problems: alcoholism and poverty. These two go hand in hand. If Pine Ridge’s residents weren’t drowning in poverty, and if they had jobs, you could lower the poverty level and number of alcoholics.

Pine Ridge’s widespread poverty and alcohol abuse doesn’t just affect immediate impoverished families or alcoholics. It affects everyone on the reservation. Whether it’s family outside the reservation, or the people living on and near the reservation.

The biggest challenges people on the reservation face is the fact that many live in poverty and have no job. So, they really don’t have an incentive to do anything productive with their life. Plus, alcohol, a way to get away momentarily from their problems, is readily accessible.

 

However, all hope is not lost. There is the chance to create jobs for people, and to provide them with job training. By providing jobs and job training, you can give the people the incentive to work as well as well as lowering the poverty level. Thus, you’re in a sense killing two birds with one stone.

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