...Homelessness in America Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Homelessness remains to be a complex problem in the American society given the ever increasing number of the homeless people as time goes. There is a need for the government and the American society at large to help the homeless since it is shameful for society as wealthy as America to have homeless people in the society. On the other hand, there are several people who are perceived to be homeless in the streets of America's cities but are capable of sustaining themselves. The opponents of assisting the homeless argue that such people have the potential to sustain themselves if the government and the society’s support system are withdrawn and therefore, assisting them only burdens the government and the society. For all the stakeholders to develop an effective homeless policy, there is a need for the development of mechanisms that will lead to a proper identification of the homeless. Identifying the correct population of the homeless people involves coming up with a proper definition of homelessness. Different definitions of homelessness are widely used in America. Those definitions are controversial since different stakeholders use a specific definition of homelessness to justify their action. One of the most effective and all-inclusive definitions is called the point in time definition. It is a one-time survey of all the institutions, the shelters, and all the other places on the street with a high tendency of...
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...Advocacy and Homelessness BSHS 441 Joann Wherry 6/6/2013 Advocacy and Homelessness What is advocacy? The classic definition is simply “The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support. “(Free Dictionary, 2013). To brand this definition more explicit to advocacy inside the Human Services field we need to add just a little more information. A more exact, directed to human services, definition of advocacy could be: to provide assistance to a certain population by supporting or communicating for them to attain the services in which they require. The amount of homeless individuals in America is disturbing. The need for advocacy amongst the homeless populace is in extreme igh demand today. “The recession will force 1.5 million more people into homelessness over the next two years, according to estimates by The National Alliance to End Homelessness.” (PBS, 2013). People find themselves homeless for a multitude of reasons. A lack of affordable housing and the limited scale of housing assistance programs have been the main driving force contributing to the current housing crisis. Homelessness and poverty have always been intricately interconnected. Poor individuals are regularly unable to pay for shelter, food, daycare, health care, and schooling. The main reasons why homelessness continues consist of stagnant or dropping incomes and less secure occupations which offer little to no benefits. Other less underlying...
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...BSHS441: ADVOCACY AND MEDIATION Project-Annotated Outline and Bibliography Veterans and Homelessness: What programs are being put in place to help. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have brought renewed attention to the needs of veterans, including the needs of homeless veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reported that in FY2008 it assessed more than 1,500 veterans who served in the Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom theater of operations for participation in its Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program. Both male and female veterans have been over represented in the homeless population, and as the number of veterans increases due to these conflicts, there is concern that the number of homeless veterans could rise commensurately. The current economic downturn also has raised concerns that homelessness could increase among all groups, including veterans. Congress has created numerous programs that serve homeless veterans specifically, almost all of which are funded through the Veterans Health Administration. These programs provide health care and rehabilitation services for homeless veterans (the Health Care for Homeless Veterans and Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans programs), employment assistance (Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program and Compensated Work Therapy program), transitional housing (Grant and Per Diem program) as well as other supportive services. The VA also works with the Department of Housing and Urban Development...
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...Homelessness and Its effects on the Community A common social concern talked about often in the United States is homelessness. 610,042 young adults, adolescents, and families can be found living without a place to call their home. The amount of homelessness is increasing at an alarming rate; this resulted fundamentally from America’s present-day economy system and the lack of prevention help. Homelessness has an effect on the community economically, socially, and politically; specifically taking an impact on public safety, local governments, and living costs. Anyone can become homeless; nobody chooses to be put in such position. According to Fargo et al., as stated in their article about the variations of homelessness, “as of a single night...
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...Vietnam War. As a direct result of Post Traumatic Syndrome and other mental/medical disabilities many in this group may not have a permanent home to call their own. To define homelessness according to the site for National Health Care for the Homeless Council (retrieved 2014), one of the official definitions for the state of being homeless or homelessness is presented as follows: A homeless individual is defined in section 330(h) (4)(A) as “an individual who lacks housing (without regard to whether the individual is a member of a family), including an individual whose primary residence during the night is a supervised public or private facility (e.g., shelters) that provides temporary living accommodations, and an individual who is a resident in transitional housing.” A homeless person is an individual without permanent housing who may live on the streets; stay in a shelter, mission, single room occupancy facilities, abandoned building or vehicle; or in any other unstable or non-permanent situation. [Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C., 254b)](National 2014) This is one of the definitions that tries to explain this large sociological perspective based on trends or patterns and the fact that this social situation requires such a broad explanation to attempt to cover all aspects of homelessness. This explanation does show how widespread and complicated the state of being homeless is and how socially there is not one simple...
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...More than 7,000 people in Atlanta meet the definition of homeless. ¨Homelessness is the condition of people without a permanent dwelling¨(Hidden). Most homeless people have to sleep on the streets and under bridges. They usually carry around all of their belongings. Atlanta Missions is an organization that can help end homelessness and there are many ways a person can help out. Homelessness happens because an individual or a family can no longer afford housing. Imagine sleeping in abandoned buildings and under bridges, separated from your family. In the article ¨The Hidden Homeless: what you are seeing in the statistics¨ it stated, ¨More than half a million people currently meet the definition of homeless in our country, and of those-7,000 live in Atlanta¨ (Hidden). This quote shows how many people are struggling in Atlanta and probably need help. Homelessness is a growing issue that needs to end. Atlanta Missions is an organization that can help end homelessness. They have 5 homeless shelters throughout Atlanta. One of the best things the organization does is feed and house the homeless. In the article “The Hidden Homeless: what you are seeing in the statistics¨’ it stated, ¨Together we can clothe, feed, and house America´s hidden homeless¨”(Hidden). They also have 5ks that raise money, it is one of the biggest 5ks in...
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...Homelessness is not a new problem facing our nation; it dates back to the beginning of time. Homelessness is defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as “an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” This definition is how the number of homeless individuals in the U.S. is calculated. There are many reasons why a person becomes homeless; some people are homeless by choice, others are forced there by circumstances. According to a 2006 report issued by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the main causes of Homelessness are: lack of affordable housing, poverty, low paying jobs, unemployment, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence and prisoner re-entry. This report will take a closer look at each cause to determine why it is such an issue. Is homelessness and problem people must accept as inevitable or is there a solution to reduce the number of homeless in our community? Over the past 25 years, several trends have contributed to the rise in homelessness. The first trend is a shortage in affordable rental housing. This includes all forms of rental property whether it is a house or apartment. Rental rates rose with the rate of home values but when the housing market crashed at the end of 2007, the rental rates did not drop. The increased popularity of luxury, resort-style apartments have also aided in a high rent market. The foreclosures that the United States has been experiencing have left many people with...
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...Acrobat , A 2010,Youth homelessness and leaving home, viewed 29 July 2013 , < http://www.kidshelp.com.au/grownups/search.php?cx=007603506358546808182%3Axcui-wlofrm&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=UTF-8&q=Youth+homelessness+and+leaving+home+ > This report shows the situation of homelessness youth in Australia recently with the analysis of this condition and some of the solutions have been implemented. In recent years, among the whole population of homelessness in Australia, youth occupied 43% of total. Those youth whose parents haunted by cancer are the main parts of homelessness youth which account for 12%. 21 percentage of Teenagers between 12 to 18 years old who are living alone, and the rest 10% were 19 to 24 years olds' young adults. The report states the main factors, which made Australian youth homelessness including taking in drugs, lack of nutrition, sickness without medicine to cure, forced sexual practices and poor protections. Those homeless youth's experiences may influence their physical and mental health. When they get homelessness, the negative effects can last a long time and be very complicated. Those negative impacts can cause the growth of social rejection's possibility. This report data all came from a true research from the public website www.kidhelp.com which means these data had already been shown to the public. Such as age from 18 to 25 young homeless adults occupied 65.3% in the whole groups of homelessness youth. Also, this report were...
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...Homelessness in America Overview Homelessness in America is a particularly complex problem, vulnerable to changing political realities, demographic shifts, and seismic cultural events such as the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Researchers and policy advocates have debated nearly every facet of the phenomenon, from the number of homeless to the causal factors to solutions for homelessness (Hodges, 2010). Each year, more than 3 million people experience homelessness, including 1.3 million children. According to national studies, even more Americans are at risk of homelessness. The impact of homelessness on families and children is devastating. Millions of low-income American households pay more than 50 percent of their income on rent when estimates say the figure should be no more than 30 percent (Surveys/Studies/Stats, 2012). There are several situations that may lead to homelessness but some of the more common reasons are: a missed paycheck, a health emergency, or an unpaid bill. These will create a crisis, pushing people out of their homes and in to homelessness. Despite diverse causes, almost all forms of homelessness are tied to poverty (Karger & Stoesz, 2010). Although there are policies to govern the issue of homelessness, there is room for reform and amendments in the legislation. Definition The level of significance we ascribe to homelessness very much depends on how the term is defined. In conducting the first census of the homeless in 1933, sociologist...
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...Homelessness in America seems to happen with alarming frequency. Homelessness affects millions of Americans each year, with approximately one third of the population suffering from severe mental disorders. It is a devastating experience for families. Every year, the United States conduct an enumeration of homeless people around the nation. These reports of homeless people conducted by the National Alliance to End Homelessness are based on the definition set by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in what is commonly known as a “point-in -time” count. Point-in-time counts are the only measure that captures unsheltered persons experiencing homelessness. Last year's point-in-time count is the most recent national estimate of homelessness in the United States. As of January 2013, the national count of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness decreases by 11.6% between 2012 and 2013. There is a common misconception that homelessness is an issue that only pertains to single men and women, but in reality over 600,000 families a year will experience homelessness. The problems of family homelessness are not solely restricted to urban areas; rural area and suburban communities are increasingly plagued by the problem. The three main reasons for the abundance of dispossessed families within America are the following: 1) the lack of affordable housing, 2) poverty, and 3) mental illness. In today's society, these causes are the main contributors towards...
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...Social Problem of Homelessness Submitted by Name School Date Social Problem of Homelessness Definition of Homelessness Persons who reside in places that are not intended as, or are unfit for human habitation, including cars, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations, under bridges, in garbage or recycling dumpsters, parks, or other places lacking basic amenities. Persons who live with sharing housing with other persons on a temporary or emergency basis. Persons whose primary nighttime place of abode is a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations, including shelters for victims of domestic violence, welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing. Why homelessness is a problem. No one really knows why but many factors can cause one to become homeless. Losing one’s job, becoming ill, and a lack of affordable housing can all play a major role in ones becoming homeless. What exactly does it mean to be homeless? Webster’s Dictionary defines the word homeless as having no home or permanent place of residence. To the conflict theorist social class is extremely important in this perspective for it defines your place in the pyramid of power. Resources are limited greatly in society and people are constantly in competition for these resources. Conflict theorists approach the issue of homelessness just like a master approaches his servants. They see the homeless as people that are...
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...* Homelessness in Australia. * Broad definition of “homelessness” * Homelessness is defined under Australian federal law as “inadequate access to safe and secure housing”. * However, homelessness is not just about housing, fundamentally, homelessness is about 1. Lack of connectedness with family, friends. 2. The community and lack of control over’s environment. * A person who is homeless may face violations of the right to an adequate standard of living, * The right to education * The right to liberty and security the person * The right to privacy * The right to social security * The right freedom from discrimination * The right to vote and many more * For some people, being homelessness means being “ roofless” * Living on the streets, in parks or in desert buildings. * This is known as primary homelessness and is the most visible kind of homelessness. * For other people, being homelessness means moving between various types of temporary shelters. * Such as the homes of friends and relatives. * Refuges and hostels. * Or living in boarding house or long term basis.( this is known as secondary or tertiary homelessness) * What are some of the causes of homelessness? * Just as there are many different ways in which a person can be affected by homelessness. * Poverty and the inability to afford adequate housing are central to the causes of homelessness. * These circumstances may result...
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..."Longitudinal Predictors of Homelessness: Findings from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-97." Journal of Youth Studies, vol. 18, no. 8, Oct. 2015, pp. 1015-1034. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/13676261.2015.1020930. The authors outline findings on the predictors of youth homelessness in vulnerable populations. Youth homelessness is defined between 18-25 years old, whereas most risk factors were present in adolescence. Populations include youth who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, poverty, limited financial and emotional support, substance abuse youth who have run away from home, and those who have problems in school such as low involvement and educational attainment. Furthermore, a nontraditional family structure such as single parent, step parent, and parent(s) who could not work due to illness. Moreover, the study found that authoritarian or uninvolved parenting styles increased risk of homelessness among youth. This article is critical to my research on youth homelessness and YEAH! Berkeley because it outlines the risk factors and potential causes as to why youth experience homelessness. Prevention efforts are critical to ending youth homelessness, and the more people understand about why youth become homeless the better they will be at helping them. This article provides context for my interview with Ms. Alina Schenk...
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...Homelessness can be defined as one who does not have a permanent residence. Many Americans in today’s society believe that homelessness only occurs in certain socioeconomic groups. Many people do not imagine being homeless as they work towards living the “American Dream”, working hard to obtain an education or a job so that they can afford to provide for themselves and their family. However, homelessness can happen to anyone regardless of their social status, educational and cultural background, and ethnicity. It may be secondary to a number of reasons which “vary greatly” such as prolonged or mental illness, unemployment, domestic violence or spousal abuse (DeChesnay & Anderson, 2012, p.485). As a result, homeless individuals find themselves unable to provide or obtain adequate food and water, leading to poor health. Outline A. Introduction i. Thesis Statement ii. Definition of Homelessness iii. Factors resulting in homelessness iv. Outcome of homelessness B. Body i. Socioeconomic Factors ii. Education iii. Ethnicity iv. Cultural Background C. Conclusion In conclusion, homelessness is a very realistic situation that can occur among any member of today’s society. Like illness, homelessness does not discriminate against any particular social, mental, educational, or ethnic background. Inability to provide adequate food and shelter, or even manage their health, results in higher hospitalization rates. Unfortunately, their poor health results in their inability...
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...Criminalization of Homelessness in America SOC 331: Social Justice and Ethics April 6, 2015 Criminalization of Homelessness in America Every country faces homelessness in one form or another. Homelessness in America has been an ongoing problem over many decade. Homelessness is not racist or biased as anyone can find themselves without the financial means to provide adequate shelter and food. While there are many definitions for homelessness the most common is “a person who "lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence” (www.pbs.org). Those who are susceptible to homelessness consist of but not limited to children, teenagers, adult men and woman, veterans, mentally unstable and elderly people. Homelessness is not just the problem that the homeless person faces but the problem that we all as citizens of the United States face ethically, morally with the proper forms of justice. Throughout this paper we are asked to evaluate different perspective and responses in regards to the American problem of homelessness. In doing so virtue ethics, distributive, commutative and retributive justices will be used in evaluating the responses. ‘Virtue ethics is an ethical theory that evaluates the morality of the person doing a given act, rather than the act itself. Virtue ethics thus emphasizes that the various virtues and whether a person reflects those virtues in his or her actions are crucial to moral evaluation” (Mosser, 2010). The text book Social and Criminal Justice...
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