Preview

Homelessness: Scientific Method Research

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
937 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Homelessness: Scientific Method Research
Homelessness: Scientific Method Research
SOCS 185
February 8, 2011

Homelessness is an ongoing social problem in the U.S. On top of being without shelter, these individuals are faced with a vast array of dangers that individuals with shelter do not face. These dangers may include exposure to inclement weather conditions, lack of health care, hate crime activity, substance abuse, and ultimately death. Acquiring homeless rates with intentions of conducting data research can be difficult being that America is a country established on pride, and one may not want to reveal that they are however in a homeless situation, and may find the questionings degrading or offensive. According to an MSNBC article, there were 744,000 homeless people
…show more content…
Government agencies tend to not focus on this problem as a number one priority, while ineffective, temporary solutions have been placed in effect. The media will not even acknowledge that homelessness and poverty are serious threats to our health, reputation, and stability as a nation. It is almost safe to say that the United States is at the aid of everyone else except its own citizens. Instead of the Federal Government and Congress accepting the problem of homelessness in America, it is simply viewed as an uncalled-for expense. It almost seems as though the only important factors in politics include big corporations and war funding, giving the impression that these items take precedence over the well being of our society as a …show more content…
A substantial percentage of the homeless living at the New Orleans Mission homeless shelter have full times jobs [http://www.fox8live.com/news/local/story/Full-time-workers-seek-help-of-local-homeless/M83VD-Lqz0mW4S4N6Lzu5A.cspx], yet cannot afford outside housing after being displaced by hurricane Katrina. Let’s face it, in our troubled economic times working is no longer a guarantee that protects us from poverty and homelessness, and no one can predict when disaster strikes or lay-off arises. However, in addition to the fore mentioned causes of homelessness, the mentally ill make up one third of the homeless population [http://www.calpsych.org/publications/access/homelessness.html]. According to the [National Coalition for the Homeless], homeless people who are affected by mental illness remain homeless for longer period of times and have less contact with family and friends. It is also nearly impossible for these individuals to seek employment, or seek the help of a medical professional when nowadays public psychiatric service is

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    It is the morning rush hour, a homeless man stands at the curb of a busy street, hands stretched out, holding a dirty cardboard sign with washed out words written in marker reading, “No home and hungry, please help and God bless”. His clothes are ragged, his hair oily and unkempt. This is his spot. People drive by; most look away, some acknowledge him. Many people turn away thinking this man is a failure, a bum who needs a pack of cigarettes or an addict looking for his next fix. The sympathetic throw down a few quarters; they have done their good deed for the day. Many people see the homeless as outcasts. Though the question arises, isn’t there something wrong with a society that has so much poverty amidst so much…

    • 1210 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many people think homelessness is rare and only touches certain kinds of individuals. However, it is far more common than people believe and it touches almost every…

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Homeless people all around the world are starving and nobody is doing anything about it. Homelessness is defined as a person who "lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." (Cite)They are starving because of the poverty in the world, the whole world's population as we know it, and community's pretending not to see it happening . Poverty is a big thing that affects homelessness in the U.S (cite) . The population increases every day and that makes the world more populated and creates more homeless people. The community pretends that they do not see people and just let them die right in their faces Worldwide, homelessness is caused by a breakdown in traditional family support systems, continued urbanization, the effects of structural adjustment programs, civil wars, and natural disasters. (Cite)…

    • 1206 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Homeless refers to the people who do not have an adequate and permanent residence. They live and sleep in the streets or in impoverished shelters, under bridges, or on street curbs. Although homelessness, which is a construct of poverty, is an important issue in all countries, it is particularly if interest within the United States because it is wealthier that many other nations; yet, a much higher share of its population has income near or below the poverty line, resulting in millions homeless citizens. The social phenomenon has increased since the 1980s and many state officials and social aid organizations and institutions are addressing the issue head on. This policy analysis will use empirical research to reveal how poverty has a negative effect on communities and inevitably, the thriving of poor oppressed people, leaving millions homeless, when systems fail them. Also, this paper will discuss the current issues that America has with homelessness and also the history of this social woe. Additionally, you will read the social structural sources that are responsible for this social problem such as lack of employment, under education, institutional racism, which are just a few of the factors…

    • 4484 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Best Essays

    Two trends are largely responsible for the rise in homelessness over the past 20-25 years: a growing shortage of affordable rental housing and a simultaneous increase in poverty. Persons living in poverty are most at risk of becoming homeless, and demographic groups who are more likely to experience poverty are also more likely to experience homelessness (National Coalition for the Homelessness, 2009). The lack of affordable housing is the primary cause of homelessness in the United States. Due to the combination of stagnant incomes and rising housing costs, affordable housing has become unobtainable for an increasing portion of the population, and as the disparity between wages and housing costs increases, more individuals are at risk of homelessness. In the current national market, even a one- bedroom…

    • 2622 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Homelessness is the condition of people without a permanent dwelling, such as a house or apartment.” In the United States over 500,000 people, almost a quarter of them children, were homeless this year. That’s over half a million-people living on streets, cars and or homeless shelters. 49,933 people, veterans to be specific, were identified across the United States as homeless, 51% of these homeless veterans have disabilities, 50% have serious mental issues, 70% have a substance abuse problem. Nearly one-quarter, 23% of the homeless are children under the age of 18. 10% are between the ages of 18 and 24, and 66% are over the age of 25.…

    • 663 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    New York City has an overwhelming amount of homeless people on the streets is very obvious. People always wondered how and why these people become this way and why it seems like nothing is being done to change it. Some think that homeless people are just people who lost their jobs and are too lazy to get back into the workforce, but research has shown that that is not the case. The statistics of homelessness in America is shocking considering that the country is one that is more advanced, especially from the technological standpoint, perhaps far more than most other countries of the world.…

    • 4088 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Homeless people have the tendency to treat the streets of cities like their personal homes. It’s only natural that they do this because hey, the streets are their homes. But this becomes a problem when you are strolling the streets of your beautiful city and are overwhelmed and distressed by the horrific stench of urine and waste consume the side walk. Like I said before, the sidewalks are homeless people’s homes but when you have to hold your breath, it becomes a problem.…

    • 83 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Homelessness is one of the biggest issues that people face in many counties. The United States faces many homelessness issues. Homelessness issues create many social, economical and security problems which should be dealt with very seriously by the government and the society as well to ensure the well being of all people in the society. Homeless issues differ from a city to another based on the typist of people and opportunities of each city. But let’s face it, what are the major causes of being homeless? There are many causes that could make the normal person living turned into homeless and that based on some causes such as: lack of education, work opportunities, mental, physical problems and social responsibilities.…

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    America currently obtains more than 500,000 people living on the streets. Homelessness is a rising issue that is continuing at full speed. Everyday more people are forced to the streets with no other options. The main cause of homelessness is loss of income, divorce or breakups in a home, and traumatic incidents in a person’s life, these factors can push people out onto the streets and damage their mental and physical health.…

    • 615 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When walking through a major city, have you ever wondered why most of the homeless community seems to suffer from a mental disability? The truth is over 50% of the homeless suffer from mental illness; in fact, the rise in mental illness in the homeless community can be traced as a direct impact from the Reagan administration from the mid 1980’s. After becoming elected, former president Reagan passed several acts which deliberately released hundreds of thousands of uncured mentally ill patients from secure institutions by defunding most mental health services. Almost five decades later, we see the repercussions of those acts in the form of homelessness, which has risen by 26% in major urban cities, and nearly 50% of homeless citizens suffer…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Homelessness is a social issue in the United States which does not discriminates against age, ethnicity, professional background or gender. This has been an issue for a long time in our country, and it is still dominant today. In states such as California, New York, Washington, Nevada, for example, homeless people can be noticeable in the streets, parks, cars and alleys. This is due to a lack of affordable housing programs, employment, public assistance, mental illness, domestic violence and addiction (National Homeless Organization, 2016). Although, the U.S. is known as a powerful nation, it has demonstrated weakness to the growing population of homeless people in its states. However, in order to have a better understanding of the homeless…

    • 136 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Homeless Social Change

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, (2016), reported the current estimate of the homeless population at 549,928 to Congress November of 2016, after the completion of a point in time survey conducted one night at the end of January 2016 across the nation to include the sheltered and unsheltered homeless population. Of the 549,928 reported, 68% were residing in emergency shelters. The homeless population according to the report is comprised of veterans, families, unaccompanied youth 18-24 years, unaccompanied children under age 18 and single individuals. At some point and time, social workers will encounter this population regardless of their discipline and it is important to understand the issue, the person's perspective, and the needs and resources available to assist (Social Work Policy Institute, 2010). Social workers operate from the position of social change and understanding the many dimensions of homeless will assist social workers in the fight to end homelessness. There are many perspectives and misconceptions on the issue surrounding the homeless population. Society plays in integral role on the issue of homelessness and resources and actions taken to prevent the increasing numbers. As social workers, we have the ability to guide how homeless individuals and families see themselves and how society sees…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Homelessness in America

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages

    John M. Quigley, Steven Raphael, Eugene Smolensky. (Feb., 2001), Homeless in America, Homeless in California. The Review of Economics and Statistics, Vol. 83, No. 1 pp. 37-51 Retrieved August 20, 2010, from The MIT Press.…

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Homelessness is a growing social injustice in the United States. The degradation that these people face every day is terrifying. It is a crisis that we too often ignore, hoping it will restore itself. That assumption delivers a widespread lack of understanding about the facts that lead to homelessness. Homelessness exists as a problem that we should acknowledge and treat.…

    • 809 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays