In chapter 3, the Detroit Journalism Cooperative takes an in-depth look at poverty in Detroit as a microcosm of impoverishment plaguing America. This is a multiplatform view highlighting alternative and multicultural viewpoints that affect more than 46 million Americans. Included in this chapter is a detailed look at the history of poverty in Detroit, insurmountable obstacles impoverished residents face on a daily basis, racial inequalities leading to skyrocketing poverty rates and the role poverty plays in a perpetual path to prison.

Detroit Public Television produced two pieces for the chapter –  Transitions to Success about a program that is trying to redefine how we view poverty.  And Poverty: A Pathway to Prison which explores the cyclical relationship of poverty and prison.