自1996年起,「貧窮家庭暫時性救助金方案」(Tomporary Assistance for Needy Families Program,簡稱TANF)取代「失依兒童家庭補助金方案」(Aid to Families with Dependent Children Prograrn,簡稱AFDC),成為1935年以來美國最重大的社會福利救濟制度變革。美國此項公共救助政策歷經一系列的擴張、調整與改革階段。本文依據方案改革前(1996年)與改革後(1999年)各州的補助金項目比例進行集群分析(Cluster Analysis),期望比較方案改革前後集群間之差異。並納入其他六項相關因素,包括:執政政黨、TANF受助人口比例、TANF受助家庭比例、各州每人平均收入、各州失業率和地理位置,試圖透過變異數分析及卡方檢定加以檢視各集群間之差異。 本文研究結果顯示:(一)1999年之補助金比例與1996年相比,整體皆呈現下降之狀況;(二)不管是1996年或是1999年,加州、麻薩諸塞州、紐約州和華盛頓州皆屬於補助金最高的組別;而馬里蘭州、紐澤西州和德州皆屬於補助金較低的組別;(三)研究顯示補助金比例較高之集群,其不管在TANF受助人口、各州每人平均收入或失業率之項目上,皆顯著高於補助金較低之集群;(四)各州無論由任一政黨執政,與集群分析之結果相對照,均無特別顯著之差異,顯示民主與共和兩大主要政黨在TANF社會福利的施政結果上並無太大之差異。(五)各集群之地理位置並未發現明顯之擴散效果。最後,期望透過美國的社會福利改革之經驗,給予未來台灣相關政策參考與建議。
The 1996 replacement of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program (AFDC) with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) marked the largest change in the U.S. social welfare assistance system since 1935. U.S. public assistance policy in this area had experienced various processes of expansion, adjustment and reform over the course of its existence. This paper used cluster analysis based on pre-reform (1996) and post-reform (1999) states' grant ratios to examine differences between the clusters in these two periods. Six additional relevant factors were incorporated into the study: ruling party, TANF individual recipient number, TANF recipient household number, as well as average personal income within states, unemployment rate, and geographic location. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square test were utilized to examine the differences between the clusters. The study findings are as follows: i Compared with 1996, overall grant ratio was in decrease in 1999. ii In both 1996 and 1999, California, Massachusetts, New York and Washington were the states with highest grant ratio; Maryland, New Jersey and Texas were sates with lowest grant ratio. iii Higher grant ratio states had higher TANF individual recipient number, average personal income and unemployment rate than those of lower grant ratio states. iv Different ruling parties showed no discrepancy in administering TANF welfare program. v No correlation was found between geographic locations of different clusters. Finally, the purpose of this study is to investigate the U.S. social welfare reform process, and thereby provide references and recommendations for future policy-making in Taiwan.