The Safety-Net Function in Public Assistance: A Cross-National Exploration

Abstract

The social security systems of industrial societies invariably include residual, safety-net schemes, available as the last resort to those who fail to qualify for preferred benefits. Whether nationally or locally organized, the administration of means-tested, safety-net benefits is attended by the exercise of discretionary judgment. This paper explores the changing contours and structure of such social assistance in the perspectives offered by various national attempts to reduce the need to make discretionary decisions. It is argued that systematic cross-national comparison of the tasks assigned to safety-net programs and of the problems that accompany the discharge of the residual function would illuminate social welfare policy issues in the United States.