Homelessness in America

Paper Summary:

This paper stresses that the average American's innate intolerance of the homeless, which assumes that all homeless people got themselves into this situation and should get themselves out of their problem, does as much injustice as the public policies surrounding the issue. The author points out that the self-perpetuating stereotype of the scary, dangerous homeless man overshadows the more legitimate cases of mental patients put on the street because of the reduced funding of mental hospitals or women with children who fled horrendous family circumstances. The paper concludes that better long-term solutions to the homeless situation at the local rather than national level, such as much more low-cost permanent housing, require active observation and understanding of the causes of homelessness.

From the Paper:

"In the thirty year span between 1955 and 1985, homelessness resurfaced as a major national problem. Low-income housing and Single-Room-Occupancy hotels were down 95 percent. By the 1980s, the social safety net dramatically decreased, "wages began to decline" and "the problem of homelessness skyrocketed to the top of the public policy agenda in most urban areas". The unemployment rate in the United States jumped from 5.8 percent to 9.6 percent. Rent increased 190 percent around the nation. At the same time, population increased 150 percent in this thirty year span."

Sample of Sources Used:

• A Historical Record of the Population of the United States. United States Census. <http://www.fullbooks.com/A-Historical-Record-of-The-Population-of-the.html>.
• "Giuliani Defends N.Y. Crackdown on Homeless." CNN.Com. 6 Dec. 1999. CNN.Com. <http://archives.cnn.com/1999/US/12/06/nyc.homeless/index.html>.
• Harper, Stephen. "Joy Smith Member of Parliament Kildonan St Paul Winnipeg Manitoba Canada." A Better Deal for Municipalities. <http://www.joysmithmp.ca/index.asp?sub_ID=98>.
• "Night of the Living Homeless." South Park. Comedy Central. 18 Apr. 2007.
• Stoner, Madeleine R. The Civil Rights of Homeless People: Law, Social Policy, and Social Work Practice. Aldine Transaction, 1995. 1-197.

More papers on Homelessness in America:

• Comparison Essay # 2282 : "Homelessness in America: Closing the Gap"
• Analytical Essay # 118538 : "Homelessness in America"
• Term Paper # 145468 : "Causes of Homelessness in America"

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