As the number of unemployed workers in the labor force continues to decline, the focus on discouraged workers and other individuals marginally attached to the labor force has increased. (The Heritage Foundation)

As you can see, the worse the recession, the more workers get discouraged. The longer our current recession drags on, the further off the reported unemployment rate will be versus the true number that includes discouraged workers. (The Atlantic Monthly Group)

Other economists, however, argue that a distinction should be made between those discouraged workers who remain available for work and those who do not even want a job. (Time Inc. )