Reaction Essay
Reaction Essay
When I saw the title of the article, the question that came to my mind was, “What is fingerprinting for food stamps?” As an international student, I have a very humble perspective of America. I could not help but wonder if the term “fingerprinting” made the topic relevant to my field of study; I am a graduate student of forensics. I found out it is not. After reading the article, I asked Alexa if she knew anything about the topic, and the information she gave me about the food stamp program was very helpful. Now I know that the food stamp is a program for assisting low-income individuals and families with food, and the federal government subsidizes the program. I am sure there is a similar program in my country for improving the wellbeing and health of the vulnerable. These programs are playing a significant role in changing people’s lives.
However, some obstacles exist in the application process for these assistance programs. In the article, it is claimed that fingerprinting has affected the application process for assistance for a majority of people. I am aware that the fingerprinting procedure was designed to keep the organization safe from fraud. The system was effective for some time, but it is no longer reliable. In the last ten years, the number of low-income people applying for the program has increased for different reasons, the COVID-19 crisis being a perfect example. The process of fingerprinting is time-consuming, costly, and of no more benefit since the social security number is enough to provide adequate applicant information. But that is not what Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor for New York City, thinks. In a statement, he said that the fingerprinting process is salient to preventing fraud, and it has been an authentication requirement in New York and other states for a decade. Other states, however, are of a contrary opinion. California, for instance, has abolished the fingerprinting practice due to the rising number of applicants, which has made it difficult to reach and help the needy fast enough.
In conclusion, fingerprinting has proven to be a tedious process in the last ten years due to the increase in the number of low-income persons. I do not think hunger is a crime, and a hungry person should not be made to wait for days to complete a legal process before they can get food. Therefore, fingerprinting should be abolished because it hinders the food program from reaching the intended audience fast enough, and it has no eligibility advantages. The COVID-19 crisis has seen many single mothers, students, and families losing their jobs. Such groups should be included in the food stamp program without encountering implementation obstacles requiring them to give their fingerprint in order to get food.