More and more Americans are experiencing problems with their credit, and in a rather ominous trend, the year 2005 saw a record number of personal bankruptcy filings. The first site offered here was created by the American Radio Works documentary group, and it profiles the current state of personal bankruptcy, along with offering some investigative reporting on the credit reporting industry. Visitors to the site can read about the personal experiences of those profiled in the program, listen to the radio documentary in its entirety, and also offer their own experiences with bankruptcy. The second link here leads to a paper from Matt Fellowes of The Brookings Institution that reports on the growing role of consumer credit reports and scores in the ability of families to get ahead in terms of obtaining loans and insurance. The well-written 20-page report reveals some interesting facts, including the finding that the South has the highest concentrations of consumers with weak credit scores.