Baumer, Donald C., Carl E. Van Horn, and Mary Marvel. 1979. "Explaining Benefit Distribution in CETA Programs." Journal of Human Resources 14(2):171-196.

This article describes and analyzes the distribution of benefits to individuals from CETA programs, using data from a three-year study of CETA in 32 research sites. The data show that the poor and women receive increasingly fewer benefits from CETA. Nonwhites experience higher enrollment under CETA than under noncategorical programs. The poor, women, and nonwhites obtain fewer benefits from public service employment programs than from training and work experience programs. Economic conditions provide only a partial explanation of service patterns. Program design choices, administrator attitudes, and national policy and actions are also important. Some changes are recommended in methods of analyzing the need for employment and training programs.

The authors are members of the faculties of Smith College, Rutgers University, and Ohio State University, respectively. Support for the research on CETA reported in this paper was provided by the Office of Research and Development, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor (Grant No. 21-39-75-10); by a grant from the State of Ohio; and by the Mershon Center of Ohio State University. We would like to thank our colleagues on the Ohio State University - CETA Implementation Study: Randall Ripley, director, Matthew Filipic, Grace Franklin, Janet Galchick, William Lydon, and Richard Wright. Robert Glover made helpful comments on our earlier draft. The opinions expressed herein are, of course, those of the authors alone.

© 2003 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

US ISSN 0022-166X

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