Book excerpt: AinÕt No Trust explores issues of trust and distrust among low-income women in the U.S.Ñat work, around childcare, in their relationships, and with caseworkersÑand presents richly detailed evidence from in-depth interviews about our welfare system and why itÕs failing the very people it is designed to help. By comparing low-income mothersÕ experiences before and after welfare reform, Judith A. Levine probes womenÕs struggles to gain or keep jobs while they simultaneously care for their children, often as single mothers. By offering a new way to understand how structural factors impact the daily experiences of poor women, AinÕt No Trust highlights the pervasiveness of distrust in their lives, uncovering its hidden sources and documenting its most corrosive and paralyzing effects. LevineÕs critique and conclusions hold powerful implications for scholars and policymakers alike. Ê