...Professor Ortiz Homelessness and Deviance Homelessness is something that is widespread throughout the United States as well as many other parts of the world, some places being more severe than others. Regardless of where the place is, a stigma is placed on those who are homeless, often being labeled as deviant. Those who are homeless, unemployed, or those receiving welfare are often viewed as lazy, reluctant to work, and possibly a drug addict. Also, assumptions are often made that those who are homeless are where they’re at as a result of their own actions. As a result of being homeless, individuals are left to fend for themselves in the streets, and ultimately these individuals are more vulnerable to using drugs, alcohol, committing crimes, and even prostitution. This only makes the people who already label these homeless individuals deviant as even more deviant. I argue that homelessness is not a form of deviance, that it is not a personal choice to be homeless but that there are conditions that are out of those individuals control that can lead to homelessness. It is more of an economic and lack of information issue than it is an issue of whether it is deviant or not. Homelessness itself isn’t deviant, but under certain circumstances it can lead to deviant behavior. As Jeffery Chaichana Peterson states on his article on homelessness (2012), “As a result of urban deprivation, economic decline, a rise in housing costs, and a decline in blue-collar wages, homelessness remains a...
Words: 2783 - Pages: 12
...Ethnography Study: Personal Identities of Homeless People This paper is an ethnographic study of the personal identities of people who are homeless and living in Chicago, Illinois. People who are homeless are portrayed in and thought of in negative light. Much too often do people group homeless people into one category in terms of judging their background before meeting them; their state of homelessness has been offered as informative of who they are. Their voices and perspectives rarely contribute to broader knowledge about who they are as people. As such, the forced ‘homeless identity’ has resulted in placing them as ‘different’ than the ‘normal’ people with homes. An August 2014 analysis by Chicago Coalition for the Homeless estimates that 138,575 Chicagoans were homeless in the course of the 2013-14 school year. This is 19.4% more than the 116,042 people who were homeless a year earlier . With the recognition that homelessness is continuously increasing every year come important questions about how this happened, what could be done about it, and who are the people experiencing homelessness. This ethnography is concerned with this last question. This thesis centers on the personal identities of people experiencing homelessness. I want to understand how they see themselves on an individual level. Identities matter. Identifying people on the basis of their homelessness influences how they are thought about, and thus responded to by policy makers, service providers...
Words: 2520 - Pages: 11
...Homelessness Georgia Davis Eng/147 June 29, 205 Janet Levy Homelessness “Homelessness is a worldwide problem that affects millions. You will find them sleeping on sidewalks, under bridges, on park benches, in cars and in any little cubby hole they can find. You will see women, men, young kids and families” (G. Davis, personal communication, June 29, 2015). ("The Portland Rescue Mission" ( 2015 ). Retrieved from http://www.portlandrescuemission.org/learn-more/myths-about-homelessness According to ‘the Portland Rescue Mission’ (2015), “The methodology for finding and counting the homeless is imperfect; we simply do not find everyone”. “Why are they all out there? What is Homelessness and what causes it? Homelessness is a very complicated issue that has no social or economic boundary. Mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence and economic times affect all ages of the Homeless” (G. Davis, personal communication, June 29, 2015). 1. Homelessness and Mental Health Mental Illness seems to be one of the leading causes of homelessness. “During my involvement with the homeless, I knew of a women name Frankie. Frankie was a school teacher, had a husband and two children. One night their home burned down with Frankie’s husband and children being lost in the fire. Frankie lost all rational thinking, not understanding why she lived. Frankie had a complete mental breakdown and ended up on the streets of Dallas homeless. This is a case of mental illness being the...
Words: 1201 - Pages: 5
...Researchers have shown that a history of childhood adversity has been shown to increase the likelihood of one experiencing homelessness in adulthood. Through different studies, several key life events were commonly found in the history of homeless young adults. A history of sexual and or physical abuse, neglect, poor relationships with caregivers or parents and out of home placement were all reoccurring themes among the homeless population. With over 3.5 million Americans in any given year experience homelessness, it’s imperative to analyze and understand the causes of homelessness to ensure the services provided to them are effective. Additionally, having an understanding on the cause of homelessness can assist researchers...
Words: 1699 - Pages: 7
...THE HOMELESNESS 1 The homelessness Mario Berrios Concepcion Columbia College This research was prepared for HUMS 365 American Social Policy Instructor Jessica Whitmore 24 july 2014 THE HOMELESSNESS 2 The homelessness Homelessness is a major problem facing many US cities today. According to Foundations of Social Policy in the United States a house is a commodity, developed and traded for profit. A house can provide shelter and protection. A home provides continuity and a social context for individuals and families, and those become homeless lose more than a shelter (Smith Barusch 165). With its many causes, homelessness is an extremely diverse problem that has proven difficult to remedy. Though some homeless people find themselves in unfortunate situations, others are homeless by choice. Those who choose homelessness do so either indirectly, by making decisions that result in negative consequences, or directly, by opting to be free of life’s responsibilities. This belief is not commonly found in print since society most often feels compassion and pity toward the homeless. Still, assistance is offered on a federal level, as well as on local levels. Although there are many charitable organizations, along with the government, that offer assistance to the homeless nationwide. Homelessness remains a prevalent problem mainly due to the fact that some of the homeless choose that lifestyle. The Stewart B. McKinney Act, which provided assistance...
Words: 2977 - Pages: 12
...as well as the homeless youth of Berkeley is that YEAH! Is not a full-time shelter, so that means that the youth do not have anywhere to go for most of the day. Even to get a library card in Berkeley a youth must present a photo ID, which many...
Words: 1775 - Pages: 8
...that are not “personal problems”. These problems can never be resolved by a single human. It takes many people of the given society to work together in order to reach a solution. Social problems are very much complex that it threatens the values of society. The cause and the solutions are responsibilities of the society Affected Population The meaning of being homeless in the United States helps define who is able to receive shelter and assistance from health and social service providers. In order to live a normal life requires having a home to live in. Yet people with no home and unable to afford anything can be found in all countries. The main reason is the individual cannot get the housing loans or welfare accessible to others. The causes of homelessness can be caused by family altercations or tragedy (or prison), or even a natural disaster. The larger proportions of homeless parents who are separated from their children in the US and the larger number of families in the homeless population are both likely because of the US social policy. Higher levels of inequality and lower levels of social benefits are associated with higher rates of homelessness. The Stewart McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 describes a homeless person as any place not meant for regular sleeping accommodation by humans. In 2005, an estimated 744,313 men, women, and children were homeless in the United States (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2007). Adults that are homeless are poor and...
Words: 1398 - Pages: 6
...How do personal problems intertwine with public issues? In this paper I am going to talk about how personal problems intertwine with public issues. The example I am going to use is homelessness. I am going to talk about all the different types of homelessness, the causes of homelessness, and also examples of homelessness I see around me every day. I will also talk about my personal experiences in this subject I have dealt with in my own life. For many years now homelessness has been an issue not only in the United States, but around the world. No matter if you are living on the streets, in a shelter, or even in assisted housing of some kind, it is defined as being homeless. According to Jeanty (1999), “The National Coalition for the homeless showed a population of 30,000 to 7,000,000 homeless people in the United States as of 1995”. The reasons for becoming homeless vary from working low wage jobs, not being able to receive public assistance, and even having mental health issues. But the real main issue that causes a person to be homeless mostly is poverty. According to Jeaty(1999), there are also theories that say that personal problems cause homelessness such as: not wanting to work, excessive substance abuse, and poor money management skills. Also growing up many could have been struggling all there life and they don’t know any other way to live, but in the low income branch of living. Many may be uneducated where they can’t get a great job to support their family...
Words: 1183 - Pages: 5
...According to Youth homelessness: A call for partnerships between Research and policy; homeless youths are defined as a group of adolescents/young adults, between the ages of 12 to 24, who live in shelters, on streets, couches or in abandoned buildings. According to Evas.com, an non-profit dedicated to the prevention of homelessness reported that there is an estimated 35,000-40,000 homeless youth in Canada, additionally - many youths that are homeless have not completed their highschool education. “Literacy rates in Canada are among the highest in the world, … however, for many homeless youth, staying in school is a difficult challenge. Studies find that 63% to 90% of homeless youth did not complete highschool, despite being the age to do so.”...
Words: 1226 - Pages: 5
...strongly believes that there needs to be more done in the state of North Carolina for the homeless. Teresa M. Holmes HS5401 March 14, 2014 Dr. Edward Muldrow Abstract The homeless population is aging faster that the general population in the U.S. As this vulnerable population continues to age, and having to address the health and housing needs is becoming increasing important. This will address overlooked concerns of homeless older adults, including their poor health status and unique care needs, the factors contribute to homelessness in this population, and the costs of homelessness among older adults, including to the U.S. health care system. The majority of homeless populations are people of color. There has been little study of racial differences among the homeless population, and racial finding have not been reported separately for homeless man and women. There is a study which the (MCKV) The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvement Act of 2001 which provides funds to local educational agencies (LEAs), is almost a decade old, yet no evaluations of its academic effectiveness have been reported. Social networks analysis has utilized mathematical models and graphical constructs to examine information exchange and diffusion. Poverty has existed in some form in American society and individual shortcomings and inadequacies in explaining the raise of the homeless over the past several decades. Poverty has existed in the some form in America society since...
Words: 4426 - Pages: 18
...Project: The Homeless Introduction We see it every day yet it is so easy for us to ignore it: homelessness. It is more common and a larger problem than we realize but we have accepted it into our society and that it is not easily preventable. Certain people under difficult financial circumstances can easily fall below the poverty level with our highly competitive capitalistic system. A social stigma, as defined by Dalton Conley, author of You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist, is “a negative social label that not only changes others’ behavior toward a person but also alters that person’s own self-concept and social identity” (Dalton 211). Homeless stigmas are so overtly present in our society that we overlook the actual problem and possible solution. It has been ingrained into our society that wealth defines “good” and poverty defines “bad.” Characteristics associated with this understanding of “bad” include deviance, laziness, and lack of capability. Our system has shaped us to believe that everyone has an equal chance at wealth and success, ignoring the underlying cases of the struggling individuals in our society born into their socioeconomic status that prevents them from this “American” opportunity. We have these preconceived notions of homeless people that have been proven to be untrue yet we only pay attention to the fewer examples that support it and pre-judge based on these mere instances. The situation of being homeless has been...
Words: 2862 - Pages: 12
...HSM 230 Personal Leadership Plan The area of human services in which I would most like to work is with the homeless. Besides having my own personal experiences with homelessness, I think that it is an ongoing issue in the United States that needs community and governmental assistance. With the economy being in a state of recession, the rate of homelessness is continuing to increase with no sign of slowing down. People are losing their incomes leading them to losing their homes. While some are able to downsize to a smaller place that is more affordable for themselves and their families, there are others that are unable to secure a place to live and have resorted to either living with relatives, in motels or even worse, shelters. As a leader in the field that I have chosen, the moral responsibility that I would need to encompass is helping those that need to be helped to the best of my ability. I would need to help and serve the homeless because it is something that I am truly passionate about, not because there is something in it for me other than the knowing that I assisted in servicing those in my community. I would need to protect my clients right to privacy and refrain from crossing the lines of maintaining a relationship other than professional; even though I do believe that organizations benefit from transformational leadership. I would also need to treat those in need with the upmost dignity and respect. One thing that we must realize is that as a leader of...
Words: 884 - Pages: 4
...The homeless are often perceived as inhuman and disgusting by society as shown by professors Lasana Harris and Susan Fiske in Dehumanizing the Lowest of the Low, and as a result, suffer from unforeseen effects on their psychological health (Harris and Fiske, 2005). These perceptions may be caused by the fact that the homeless are not give adequate care. An explanation of this is the lack of services with the purpose of helping them integrate back into society as they are expected to, which can have an additional influence on their mental health.from this one can can conclude that the psychological health of the homeless is negatively impacted by societal perceptions and lack of resources dedicated to helping the homeless. The perpetuated negative view of the homeless hinders their ability to heal from psychological diseases, and may lead to deteriorating mental health. In the paper, Discrimination and Economic Profiling among the Homeless of Washington, DC by the National Coalition for the Homeless, a national network of people who have personal experience and expertise in homelessness, a study was conducted and it concluded that “roughly two thirds of homeless...
Words: 1219 - Pages: 5
...Homeless in Prince William County Introduction and background: Homelessness is one of our nation’s most misunderstood and vexing social problems. Many individuals of all races struggle with the devastating effects of homeless including families with children, single adults, teenagers and the elderly. This is an issue that can be defined as living in unsuitable, unsafe and overcrowded environment. “On a single night in January 2013, there were 610,042 people experiencing homelessness in the United States, including 394,698 people who were homeless in sheltered locations and 215,344 people who were living in unsheltered locations” (Henry & Cortes, 2013). This shows homelessness in American is a crisis, many more individuals become homeless everyday. They struggle moving from place to place, night after night, in constant state of fear and survival. People become homeless for a variety of reasons. Homelessness is primarily an economic problem, and is also affected by a number of political and social factors. Economic factors include the lack of affordable housing, “housing costs have risen steadily across the country, and they have skyrocketed in many areas. Further, the inability to afford housing is concentrated among households with incomes below the poverty level, whose members account for the vast majority of people entering homelessness” (Burt, 2001). The growing gap between wage earnings and the cost of housing leaves millions of families and individuals unable...
Words: 3289 - Pages: 14
...Flor Payan Prof. Jane Doe ENG 1102 November 17, 2014 Homelessness: Its Roots and Implications Everybody has been in touch with homelessness in America in one way or another. Either by looking at homeless people on the streets while driving home, or in a more unfortunate way, by dealing with it personally or knowing someone who deals with homelessness. It is clear that homelessness is a multifactorial problem, and its ramifications and consequences go beyond the simple fact of not having a home to call our own. Homelessness seems to affect more some segments of the population and some ethnic backgrounds more than others. With such facts, we can ask: what is the origin of homelessness? How someone becomes homeless? What can we do, as a society, to fight homelessness? And more importantly, why the strategies designed to fight homelessness are not working as effectively as expected? Considering the fact that hundreds of thousands of people are homeless and millions more at risk, as moderate estimates tell, the problem is clearly worse than we would like to think. There are clearly understood circumstances that create homelessness in America. Now “it is generally believed that the increase incidence of homelessness in the US has arisen from broad societal factors”, and economist and sociologists have found that homelessness is directly related to “changes in the institutionalization of the mentally ill, increases in drug addiction and alcohol usage, etc” (Quigley and Raphael)...
Words: 2085 - Pages: 9
