The Effect of Homeless People in Today's Society

Homelessness has a far-reaching effect that extends beyond mere panhandling.

Just about everyone at one time or another has dealt with panhandlers asking for spare change or food. It elicits many reactions, from being annoyed to intimidated. However, these everyday confrontations are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the effects of homelessness. It is in fact a complex issue, rife with societal ramifications.

Social Stigma

There are almost as many reasons for being homeless as there are homeless people. Newly minted transients may be just like the neighbors next door who are simply temporarily down on their luck. At the other end of the spectrum, there are those who have been living on the streets for years and suffer from some form of mental illness. At any rate, many people aren't able to differentiate between the two, and they are treated with equal contempt, thus making it harder to get a helping hand. The fact of the matter is, all deserve to be helped, but many find it hard to obtain it.

Crime

In some ways, homelessness breeds crime. Granted, not every homeless person is a criminal; far from it. However, some do resort to petty theft and robbery. There's also the issue of more minor crimes, such as vagrancy, loitering and in some jurisdictions, the act of panhandling itself. In fact, a 2002 Calgary study on homelessness found that 77 percent of the homeless had been jailed at some point in their lives.

Legislation

In the 1970s and 1980s, homelessness grew exponentially. One reason is that housing and rent costs grew faster than income. Over time, it became too much of an issue for the government to ignore and the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act was passed in 1987. Essentially, it was the creation of a committee that at first simply studied homelessness figures. Over time, they also established other agencies to help their cause, such as the Healthcare for the Homeless Program.

Health Care

Homeless persons often suffer from a variety of ailments due to the fact that they don't have the resources for even over-the-counter health care. In the worst cases, mental illness can set in if the person is a chronic drug user. For this reason, a good portion of the federal grants and funding for homeless programs are used for medical services above anything else.

References

• Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders: Homelessness
• Otsego Community Connection: Understanding Homelessness
• IPC; Homelessness, Victimization and Crime: Knowledge and Actionable Recommendations; January 2008