In A New Conscience and an Ancient Evil, Addams writes in support of the eugenics movement as a method of preventing the "social evil" of sex work, which she believes is the cause of immorality, disease spread, and "race deterioration." She advocates for tax dollars to be spent to prevent sex workers from having children. Addams writes that eugenics can also support women and children to become more "fit," using a "positive eugenics" frame to encourage the production of more "healthy children and families." In this time period, this framework is contrasted (and often combined) with "negative eugenics," which is geared towards removing and eliminating those communities that are seen as "unfit" based on race, disability, class status, immigrant status, and faith.