In an opinion piece in the New York Times, Jason Furman argues that “investing in families” (e.g. financial and nutrition assistance programs for low-income families) have a very positive impact on, not only these families, but society as a whole. Contrary to what some skeptics believe, these programs can have long-term positive effects and do not appear to increase dependency. Recent evidence suggests that these benefits are not captured in short-term outcomes. In the long-term, these types of programs have been found to be cost-effective (e.g. reducing crime and health care expenditures).
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/opinion/smart-social-programs.html?_r=0