Clearly homelessness is a problem in America. The statistics show more and more people are sleeping in shelters or on the streets. Is homelessness a problem or the effect of another problem? Some might argue that there will always be homeless people because it is the result of the human condition and biases we have in our society. On the other hand, some would disagree and argue that the cause of homelessness is because the economy is bad.
Some people fear and hate homeless people so much that even if they know the people, such as when their sibling becomes homeless, they apply those same hatreds and fears to the people who cared for them. They'd sooner believe that someone they knew and loved has become a bad or lazy person than believe that homelessness can happen to any good person! Homeless people are despised, labeled as lazy and worthless. I don't think this is because Americans are insensitive or unable to feel empathy. I have a few theories as to why homeless people are so despised and why we should not discriminate them.
There are an estimated 1.6 to 2.8 million homeless youth between the ages of 12 and 24 in the United States. Most youth homelessness is caused by abuse, neglect, and family conflict, deficient school systems that perpetuate illiteracy, joblessness, and addiction, lack of government housing and lack of affordable housing. These are not the only reasons why people are homeless, but they are the most obvious ones. Homelessness is viewed as a sociological problem, meaning that it is an issue that the society has to deal with by developing some kind of social institution and set of social practices like allocation of resources, and the allocation of status. It is understood that life is rough and sometimes things do not work out, but this country
Anyone can be vulnerable at any given point in time as a result of life circumstances or response to illness or events “ (de Chesnay & Anderson, 2008, p. 3). What barriers may prevent these groups from obtaining needed services? Barriers such as poor economy, mental illness, physical illness/limitations, and addiction problems prevent vulnerable populations from obtaining needed services. Some veterans are homeless because they must wait a long time to receive their disability benefits, and they cannot work, leading them with no money and no homes after returning from war. Many veterans may become drug abusers and decide no to go back to their families while struggling with this problem, finding themselves on the streets.
The three major factors contributing to homelessness in King County are inadequate income, the high cost of housing, and personal or family problems, such as domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse or mental illness. Surveys of homeless people show rates of drug and alcohol addiction at about 65%. Research indicates that approximately 50% of homeless adults have a mental illness. Prominent reasons for homelessness among youth include emotional conflict in homes, drug or alcohol problems, physical abuse by a parent, and depression
ARGUMENTATION-PERSUAISON ESSAY “HOMELESS IN AMERICA” CHRIS RIECH SOUTH UNIVERSITY ONLINE “HOMELESS IN AMERICA” The reason people are homeless in America today is due to the lack of support from out government. Economic problems such as being laid off work or the rise in the cost of housing have lead people to live on the streets. They have no family to help them and they are left with no other choice. People with mental illnesses and addictions also become homeless quite often. A lack of affordable housing has contributed to homelessness.
Another big cause of homelessness is people not having health care. They could have a job, but not given the benefit of free health care, so therefore if a poor family or individual were to be seriously ill they would not have enough money to pay for their health as well as to have a home. A high percentage of homeless people also are known to have a mental illness which could make it difficult to even impossible for them to get a job. As many as 3.5 million people in the United States has been reported of experiencing homelessness in a given year, even though most were temporarily. Some statistics of reported homeless Americans show 40% are families with children—the fastest growing segment, 41% are single males, 14% are single females, 5% are minors unaccompanied by adults, 49%
Families are experiencing traumatic events that cause homelessness. Divorce, cost of living, sickness, drug addiction, PTSD in war victims and mental disabilities are the leading causes of being homeless. Unfortunately in these days and times an everyday occurrence to poor people can cause homelessness. Debilitating illnesses or death can cause people to lose their homes as well. Hurricane Katrina had a major effect on people’s lives; there were thousands of families that lost their homes to that devastating natural cause.
The community complains that drugs and alcohol are prevalence in these homes. Homeless shelters have been argued to have a negative effect on businesses because pedestrians are stopped outside their stores by homeless people begging for money. Neighborhoods, as well as schools, argue that homeless shelters bring in bad elements to their surroundings. Drugs and alcohol also tend to surround homeless shelters. Shelters are just a temporary fix to an ongoing problem.
Structural factors: Our infrastructure has not succeeded in supporting the most susceptible in our society. Among structural factors the major cause of homelessness is high housing costs and lack of affordable housing. Other causes are increased poverty, rising unemployment, social exclusion, and harmful effects of de-institutionalization. Individual factors: Among individual factors, homelessness is commonly caused by a crisis in one’s life. This crisis could be leaving the parental home after arguments, marital or relationship breakdown, widowhood, leaving care, Leaving prison, a sharp deterioration of mental health, increased drug or alcohol misuse, a financial crisis or mounting debts or Eviction.