If the breakdown has anything to do with the problems we all see and recognize, I would suggest it, in and of itself is not a cause but another symptom. I know some of you guys are engineers. As engineers, you are familiar with problems solving and problem solving techniques. Is the family breakdown really the root cause? Or can you ask more "why" questions and drill even deeper. For example "why are the families breaking down?" If you say, as one poster suggested, it is because of government handouts, then why would folks taking food stamps or WIC or whatever be drawn into such family structures? Why are people becoming more inclined to seek out and sign up for such handouts? There are probably many ways you could take this troubleshooting tree but I'm not sure there is more than one or 2 legitimate root causes...and one of which, I would lean upon, can't be discussed here, on this forum.
Yes, there is a deeper root cause. But as you've noted: its discussion is verboten.