HOMELESS PEOPLE

Homeless People

Homeless People

Introduction

There are many homeless people out on the streets of the large cities in this great nation. When unemployment still hasn't gotten near zero and new jobs are being created every day, people are starting to ask why there are still homeless people in the alleys and on the sidewalks of this country. This seems to be an ever haunting problem even though it would be so easy for homeless people to just get a job. Let's look at the general requirements for applying for and keeping a job. All you have to do is have nice clothes to make a decent impression, a home address and some way to be reached in tight situations, and a way of getting to work in the morning or night--whichever the case may be (Roy et al, 2004). That's it. And I, for one, have reached a solution to this widespread laziness.

History

Since the 1940's, the issue of homelessness has remained a growing concern within the United States. Factors contributing to the problem are varied, and deep-set within the make-up of our economy. This article will cover the causes of homelessness, and characteristics of the homeless population. iving without a home, be it on the streets or in shelters, is what defines homelessness. It happens to individuals, as well as families, of all different nationalities and backgrounds. The National Coalition for the Homeless showed a population of anywhere from 30,000 to 7,000,000 homeless people in the United States as of 1995. The actual number is unknown due to the transience patterns within the population. There are two prevailing theories on the causes of homelessness (So-Young et al, 2004). One theory attributes the cause to society-based conditions within an individual's circumstances. These would include minimum wage employment, lack of public assistance services, and lack of mental health services. The other theory views personal problems as the cause. Not wanting to work, excessive substance abuse, and poor money management skills are examples of personal problems that can lead to homelessness (Rosenbeck et al, 2003).

Social Problem

Today, homelessness is a big problem that happens everywhere in the world. It can have some different meanings depending from the views. Homelessness is a growing epidemic across the country. There are many ways one can become homeless but the biggest reason is poverty. There are also different concentrations of homeless in different types of terrain, such as urban or suburban areas (Kasprow 2000). There is an ever- growing homeless population, and one way it can be resolved is to know the facts about this lingering subject. Excluding the time during the Great Depression, women and children have never before been on our nation's streets in such significant numbers. During the 1980s, cutbacks in government benefits attached with rapidly increasing rents and a scarcity of low-income housing jeopardized the stability of all people on reduced or fixed incomes (Hibbs et al. 1994). As a result, the nation's population of homeless families swelled from almost minor numbers to nearly ...