Chapter 16 of Jacob Riis’s How the Other Half Lives addresses the topic of child abandonment. Riis bemoans the fact that his society is so depraved as to force destitute mothers into a choice: watch their children starve, or give them to strangers in the hope that they’ll be in hands that can care for them. He doesn’t mention any particular immigrant group, because this problem transcends ethnic lines. It is one of the harsh symptoms of extreme poverty, a side effect of being stuck at the bottom of an exploitative social pyramid. He points out that only in fairy-tales are richly dressed, healthy children abandoned. He also emphasizes his disgust at a system which effectively murders children.

Today the world is more sanitary; babies are usually born (and may die) in hospitals, and adoption services are more readily available. Infant mortality is generally better, though inequalities on either side of the poverty line remain. Group homes, run by private charities under government scrutiny, have replaced orphanages, and people interested in adopting must undergo thorough investigation. Riis’s focus, however, still bears relevance today. East Harlem’s children deserve just as much of a chance as the Upper East Side’s. The health care, nursery, and recreational services available to them should reflect that.