Homelessness Breaking the Cycle

Homelessness Breaking the Cycle
Mandlyn Campbell
Soc 203
Social Problems
Dr. Jonathan Brooks
8/8/11

Homelessness Breaking the Cycle

Thesis Statement

Once being homeless myself, I have decided to focus my research on the homeless population, which is one of many social problems that is near and dear to my heart. My objective is to take a closer look at what challenges other individuals really face living a life without shelter, a live of poverty. I plan to provide an in-depth analysis of the path to homelessness, the stigma civilization has placed on the homeless, how much emphasis the government places on provisions for the homelessness and what solutions we as a society can do to possibly deter homelessness.

Annotated Bibliography

Anderson, Elaine A, & Koblinsky, Sally A. (1995). Homeless policy: The need to speak to families. Family Relations, 44(1), 13. Retrieved August 7, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1639988).

In this article, authors Anderson and Koblinsky describes the most popular stereotype of homelessness as being bums on skid row, drinking wine from a brown paper bag or, seeking handouts from passersby’s. However, with the shift in socio-economic change and the lack of affordable housing, research shows a new population of homelessness evolving. The article also presents a brief history of government homeless policies, and makes suggestions for formulating future homeless policies that incorporate family principles.

Bailey, V. (2011, April). A ROOF over their HEADS. Herizons, 24(4), 20-23. Retrieved August 7, 2011, from CBCA Complete. (Document ID: 2338275471).

Inspired by homeless advocate Susan Scotts book “All Our Sisters; Stories of Homeless Women Across Canada” Bailey understands homeless women often feel they are alone and don’t have a voice. However Bailey also believes it’s important that homeless women do have voice. It’s an objective shared by organizers of the first Canadian conference on women and homelessness, All Our Sisters National Conference on Women and Homelessness was held to discuss homelessness with a specific gender focus. The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), in the U.S. and the U.K.’s Homeless Link and Europe’s Feantsa, bring together homelessness service providers in those countries to share solutions on ending homelessness.

Homelessness. (2001). In World of Sociology, Gale. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/worldsocs/homelessness
The author takes and in-depth look at being homeless and addresses a number of factors that leads to homelessness. This source outlines help for the homeless such as, shelters, counseling, training, and medical assistance. Gale further outlines the varying and non-local factors that lead to homelessness such as, drug abuse, declining marriage rates and increased divorces rates. Gale uses various methodologies to measure and assess the homeless population which involves quota sampling, point and time shelter surveys, onsite bed counts and targeted telephone surveys. Gales feels that it is best to focus on Qualitative measurements as opposed to statistical data, as the best way to sample the homeless population. Gale methodically defines the struggles outlined above on the homeless issues individuals are faced with in America.

Murray, L. (2011, March). Freedom from Want. Reader 's Digest, 178(1064), 106. Retrieved August 7, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID: 2279331791).

Murray traces her journey from homeless to Harvard. Born to drug-addicted parents who routinely swiped her money to pay for cocaine, she, now 30, and her sister often found themselves homeless and starving, once even reduced to eating lip balm to satisfy theft hunger. Even so, she found in America a land of hope, a land of plenty.

Renya Reed Wasson, & Ronald Paul Hill. (1998). The process of becoming homeless: An Investigation of female-headed families living in poverty. The Journal of Consumer Affairs, 32(2), 320-342. Retrieved August 7, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 36347648).
This source identifies how homelessness is modeled as a three-stage process, in which female headed families move between primary residency in their own homes, (residence), to doubling-up in other families ' homes, (doubling-up), and finally to homeless shelters (shelter). The most important explanatory factors of families in residence are rent/income variables, while the most important factors for families doubling-up pertain to sharing difficulties. The results support early intervention in the homelessness process as an important public policy goal.

SHIER, M. L., JONES, M. E., & GRAHAM, J. R. (2010). Perspectives of Employed People Experiencing Homelessness of Self and Being Homeless: Challenging Socially Constructed Perceptions and Stereotypes. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 37(4), 13-37. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Authors Shier, Jones and Graham performed a case study on 65 individuals which explored multiple factors that resulted in homelessness from these individuals perspectives. This source evaluates participant’s perceptions emerged as a result of the impact that homelessness caused, as they traveled from entry to exit of homelessness. As a result of this study, four sub-themes of perspectives were identified. (1) perceptions of self and situation; (2) impact of being homeless on self-reflection; (3) aspects of hope to consider; and (4) perspectives on having a permanent residence. Systematically, these findings help face present stereotypes about homelessness and constructively inform social service delivery organizations for the enhancement of additional services.

Bibliography: Anderson, Elaine A, & Koblinsky, Sally A. (1995). Homeless policy: The need to speak to families. Family Relations, 44(1), 13. Retrieved August 7, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1639988). Bailey, V. (2011, April). A ROOF over their HEADS. Herizons, 24(4), 20-23. Retrieved August 7, 2011, from CBCA Complete. (Document ID: 2338275471). Homelessness. (2001). In World of Sociology, Gale. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/worldsocs/homelessness Murray, L. (2011, March). Freedom from Want. Reader 's Digest, 178(1064), 106. Retrieved August 7, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID: 2279331791).