The Homeless Plight
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The Homeless Plight Homelessness is on the rise. Homeless people can be seen sleeping in a variety of places such as city subways, terminals, stations, and the underground world of transportation. In the winter, the homeless may be sleeping on top of grates for the warm steam; fires may be burning from cylinders on street corners, under bridges, or in alley ways for warmth. In the summer, buses, subway cars, malls, and fountains are but a slight relief for those homeless until an authority figure moves the person(s) on. In small suburban areas, most of the homeless are hidden and out of view. The United States faces many social problems; however, homelessness is a major dilemma. To understanding the issue of homelessness from a sociologist point of view, different lenses need to be used. The sociological perspectives of functionalism, conflict structuralists, and symbolic interactionism, provide the best angles to assess homelessness in the United States as well as analyzing the efforts to resolve the homeless dilemma the nation faces. There are approximately two million homeless men, women, and children, and the numbers are increasing. For the second consecutive year, homeless families are on the rise (AHAR, 2009). Causes of this dilemma are vast and include hardships from loss of employment, illness, lack of affordable housing, poverty, and the current economy. The number of homeless is constantly changing. Researchers use different methodologies in an attempt to count homeless people accurately. Point-in-time counts people on any particular day or week, period prevalence measures the number of homeless people over a specific period of time, and point-in-time studies provide a picture of the homeless at a specific time. Period prevalence is the most accurate measure because some of the homeless eventually may find housing making the plight temporary. Those homeless people in places where researchers cannot find them will not be counted. These groups are known as the unsheltered or hidden homeless. These groups stay in automobiles, camp grounds, boxes, boxcars, or caves providing an inaccurate count but are considered in the measures and data (Burt, 1989).
Perspectives of Homelessness As inconceivable as homelessness seems for 2012, various factors and perspectives contribute to the increasing numbers. Emile Durkheim is one theorist most associated with the functionalist perspective. Durkheim likened society to the biology of the human body. Each system has its own organs with a specific function. Society’s organs are the institution of family, education, politics, religion, and the economy. Each institution has unique functions essential for society to operate. This social order can be threatened by social change, resulting in social problems; therefore, the problem needs to be repaired at the societal level. In connection with Durkheim’s explanation, biological poverty refers to starvation, malnutrition, inadequate housing, and clothing causing the homeless to suffer from exposure of the elements, therefore, becoming a social problem (Henslin, 2011). The functionalist perspective uses a Macro perspective to understand how society creates and maintains social order. The systematic study of social problems began at the University of Chicago. Ernest W. Burgess, Homer Hoyt, Robert Park, Edward Ullman, and Louis Wirth were scholars using the city of Chicago as an urban laboratory to study poverty, crime, and drug abuse during the 1920s and 1930s. By capturing real experiences of individuals with social problems, field notes indicated both positive and negative consequences of urbanization and industrialization (Henslin, 2011).
Sociologist Robert Merton (1957) explains social structures can have positive benefits as well as negative consequences. These negative consequences are dysfunctions. Homelessness is clearly a dysfunction with positive functions or consequences. This sounds off-base; however, according to the functionalist, if homelessness did not exist, other functions in society would cease to exist. Social service agencies, religious institutions, service workers, health care systems, and community workers rely on poverty and homelessness for the benefit of employment. Homelessness also serves as evidence to other functions in society regarding appropriate wages, affordable housing, and education (Shlay & Rossi, 1992). The conflict theorist views homelessness as the inevitable imbalance of power and the struggle over scarce resources. Similar to the functionalist theory, the conflict theory views the Macro level and is concerned with the interest groups battling for power. In this lens, the benefits of society were constructed by the power elite to provide this group with all advantages and opportunities society has to offer. This view is not deliberate and bestowed upon the wealthy to exploit other social classes; rather, the class is driven through a series of choices. For instance, downsizing a business by laying-off thousands of workers is a large-scale decision and has serious impacts to the phenomena of homelessness. Relative to the functionalist, conflict theorists may also consider the creation of jobs to deal with the homeless. The social welfare system was designed to pacify those not of the power elite whereby the individuals are provided with a safety net. In this lens, instead of rectifying the problem, those of the elite group can claim the problem is on an individual level and place the blame of poverty individually (Henslin, 2011). Symbolic interactionism examines the homeless at a much different level, the lens of the Micro approach. The symbolic interactionist focuses on individual interactions among the homeless and how these people respond to each other. The use of symbols such as verbal or non-verbal communication influence how people interact with one another. Gestures, body language, facial expressions, and the like influence communication between people. For example, people stereotype the homeless with as a sign of mental illness, criminals, poverty stricken, alcoholics, drug addicts, and laziness. The interactionist also looks at the physical signs such as eye contact, a smile, or a kind gesture. Within the homeless circle, signs are also prevalent. A stare, a facial gesture, or a small grumble are symbols and influence other’s reactions (Henslin, 2011).
Factors of Homelessness One can claim homelessness is a dysfunction and public embarrassment for a city or community. The views of the functionalist and conflict theorist say homelessness is beneficial for parts of society and supports a larger part of the system. The symbolic interactionist seeks to explain the interactions of the homeless and society. Structural, personal, and political factors influence homelessness. These factors determine where homeless will occur most often. The problem of homelessness in the United States is fueled by the economy (Burt, 2001). The substantial rise in the housing market has placed those people with low-income out of the market, and the false pretense of affordable loans by the banking industry lending unrealistic amounts of money to those people with income has caused the foreclosures leaving thousands of people homeless. Individuals with a high school diploma are facing a dwindling employment opportunity contributing to the gap between the rich and poor. The removal of institutions for the mentally ill as well as the drastic decrease in long-term hospitalization has left many people literally on the streets with no housing options. In addition, racial, ethic, and class discrimination in housing as well as zoning limits excluding affordable alternatives exist in many communities. In addition to the structural factors creating homelessness, personal factors can increase one’s susceptibility to homelessness. Lack of education or skills training, mental or physical disabilities, and lack of family support can result in homelessness as well as domestic violence and substance abuse in any income level. However, without the structural factors, the blame of homelessness cannot be placed on personal factors (Burt, 2001).
Predictors of Homelessness Extreme poverty is the most significant factor for homelessness along with societal factors, and individual characteristics. However, among studies of the homeless, a single predictor of homelessness is adverse experiences of childhood. Molestation, physical abuse, and removal from the home into foster care or other establishments are strong predictors. Teenage substance abuse, and chronic adult substance abuse, mental health issues, and physical problems are among high rates of homelessness and in the male’s case, incarceration is probable (Burt, 2001).
Adult Homelessness The adult population assisted by homeless programs on any given day consists mostly of men at 61%, women comprise of 15%, and 15% are households with children. The percentage of couples without children is approximately 9%. Public programs assist families; therefore, there is less homelessness but as statistics have shown, the rate of homeless families is on the rise (AHAR, 2009). Most single adults do not qualify for assistance programs resulting in homeless or experience recurring periods of homelessness. The difference between racial and ethnic groups stems from the probability of poverty and does not correlate to the homeless percentages (Burt, 2001).
Homeless Women Research on homeless women in New York has reported approximately 21% of homeless families are homeless because of domestic violence as well as 25% of single homeless women. A national American survey on homeless women revealed domestic violence as the second most frequently listed causes of homelessness among women (Up with Women, 2012). Many homeless women have been victims of domestic violence in their past even if this is not the direct cause of the individual’s current status.
Homeless Children Most children of homeless families are under age six and vulnerable to household dysfunctions. Physical abuse, cognitive, emotional, and mental difficulties are most likely to surface. In addition, these children have a higher risk of becoming homeless adults if periods of foster care are present (Burt, 2001).
Society’s Response to Homelessness Looking through the lenses of the perspectives on homelessness, there is no accurate reason or response to the dilemma. Some members of society choose to ignore the problem; others members are aware, interact, and communicate with the homeless but do not know what courses of action to take or the means to find assistance. During the 1990s the homeless service system grew in the United States largely because of leadership and funding. Shelters have been created and the bed capacity has increased two-fold over the past decade bringing more people in desperate circumstances. However, throughout the growth and assistance of shelters, transitional living, and food, there are still homeless people on the streets. Federal and non-federal funding has provided shelter but still some homeless individuals refuse help. A majority of homeless shelter workers are good people doing the best to help homeless people; however, it would be an injustice to pretend the shelters are safe enough and free from disadvantages. From the viewpoint of the homeless, there are many reasons shelters are not an option. The check in process can be humiliating and dehumanizing, especially for women. Homeless women abused in the past feel violated with the questions and suggestions of some intake workers (Jasinski, Wesely, & Wright, 2010). Homeless shelters hours are incompatible with job hours. Many homeless people have jobs but do not have a home. Shelters operate on rigid hours and waiting in line to check-in can take hours leaving the working homeless unable to use them. Those homeless people working evening shifts will not be able to check-in to a shelter because the time is over curfew. This also applies to homeless working the regular shift day because arrival at the shelter is too late.
Some shelters require all members to attend Alcohol Anonymous meetings or substance abuse classes regardless of whether the homeless person does or does not abuse. These meetings are typically held during the day; therefore, working during the day makes meeting these requirements impossible. These shelters automatically treat the homeless as criminals and drug users creating another obstacle for employment (Fisher, 2005). Though many homeless shelters insist they are drug free zones with signs indicating such, drug users will avoid them. Other drug users and dealers will prey among the shelters for selling and buying drugs. Because of this, many homeless people and families stay away from the shelters fearing this danger or to protect their children’s safety (Fisher, 2005). Some areas oppose homeless shelters in or around their neighborhood for this reason. Another matter of concern is the danger of parasites in the shelters. Shelters are relatively clean, but the parasites are high because homeless people carry parasites. Sleeping in a different bed every night in which other homeless people have slept in is the most probable way a homeless person will contract head lice, pubic lice, or scabies. Even if shelters required the homeless to shower prior to entry, ridding these parasites is not practical because of the situation. Bedbugs are fast becoming many cities’ nightmare. These parasites easily infest a bedroll and bite. A homeless person entering with a bedroll may not use it; however, the parasite will still infest. Homeless people do not want to infest workers helping them or bring the parasites to work with them (Jasinski, et.al, 2010). This poses yet another problem for the homeless. Most shelters do not allow homeless people to bring carts or bags inside. Some homeless people carry around bags or use carts to hold the only things they have left in life along with food, snacks, drinks, rags, clothes, etc. If a homeless person leaves this cart or bag outside the shelter, there is certainty the items will be stolen or lost. Keeping on this train of thought, the dangers of rape and – or assault in and near homeless shelters is frightening. A homeless shelter is the breeding grounds for human predators. Often inside and outside, predators search and wait for victims. The predators can be employees, rapists, etc. and will track a homeless person leaving the shelter. Attendants are usually available to watch the happenings in and around the shelter, but most are not trained to deal with violent behaviors making these shelters vulnerable to other predator type shelter users (Jasinski, et.al, 2010). Additionally, homeless people fear contracting diseases from the other people in the shelter. There is always at least one person with a cold or cough in the shelter. Tuberculosis is very common among the homeless as well as influenza. Many homeless have some type of health issue and staying in a shelter with sick people poses a risk. There is also a lack of handicap facilities in shelters. Shelters are usually in old buildings reconstructed to fit many beds. Dependent on the building, the beds may be located above the ground floor with no elevators. Some shelters are also not equipped for handicapped people and do not have restroom accommodations, railings, or ramps (Jasinski, et.al, 2010). . Looking through the lens of the functionalist and conflict theorist, homelessness is a necessary part of the functioning and patterns of society by creating jobs; however, there are not enough people, money, or resources to provide adequate assistance. Shelters are over capacity limits with inadequate staff, facilities, and workers. The symbolic interactionist focuses on the homeless individual and the interactions and communications between each other and society, painting a realistic picture of the homeless. Looking through the lenses of these perspectives one can see clearly a complex issue. The intentions of creating programs and assisting the homeless are good; however, the resources available to keep these programs running smoothly are troublesome (Committee on Health Care, 1988). On a frigid night in any city one can find a homeless person sleeping on a vent to keep warm when there is shelter available. These homeless people refuse to accept assistance. Therefore, society views these people as mentally ill, disturbed, or hostile when in fact; the reasons for not accepting assistance are very valid. Society has created shelters and resources for the homeless; however, the creation of these programs has conflicted with the purpose; hence, creating more homeless people. Creating homes for the homeless prevents people from losing their homes. Supportive services of this housing needs to be initiated. Homeless people, most mentally ill people, and people with disabilities can live stable lives with housing and support systems. Creating projects for homeless people cannot be considered unless they are successful. Taking care of the homeless today does nothing for the homeless of tomorrow. Communities need to commit to programs helping to prevent homelessness. Initiating programs cannot be effective if the community does not take an active role. Homelessness is a dilemma of society and the nation. Efforts of everyone in society need to be initiated to prevent further homelessness, homeless people are a part of society and although seen through different perspectives, one cannot possibly want to be part of the homeless society.

References
Burt, M. (2001). What will it take to end homelessness? [Brief based on Burt M., Aron, L., Lee, E., 2001. Helping America’s homeless: emergency shelter or affordable housing?] Washington, DC: Urban Institute
Committee on Health Care for Homeless People (1988). Homelessness, health, and human needs. p 22. Washington, DC: National Academies Press USA. Retrieved from e-brary
Fisher, L. (2005). Homelessness in a rural southwestern Pennsylvanian community: A conceptual profile. Sociological Viewpoints, 215-18.
Henslin, J. M. (2011). Social problems: A down-to-earth approach (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon
Jasinski, J. Wesely, J., and Wright, J. (2010). Hard lives, mean streets: violence in the lives of homeless women. Boston, MA: Northeastern University Press.(Jasinski, Wesely, & Wright, 2010).
Shlay, A. & Rossi, P. (1992). Social science research and contemporary studies of homelessness. Annual Review of Sociology, 18(1), 129-160.
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development (2010). The 2009 annual homeless assessment report. Retrieved from: http://www.hudhre.info/documents/5thHomelessAssessmentReport.pdf.