Essay Grade

Running head: ANALYZING SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Analyzing Social Problems and Social Policy
Bonita McMorris
Walden University
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ANALYZING SOCIAL PROBLEMS
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Analyzing Social Problems and Social Policy
Homelessness is a complex problem that has existed in America in a large scale since the
Industrial Age. As of 2015, there are over half a million Americans who do not have a home.
This problem impacts people in every state and every major city. The social worker plays a
pivotal role in the life of the homeless population connecting them to service and assisting them
in recovering their lives. Homelessness occurs for many reasons and impacts people from all
types of backgrounds but the hardest hit are the citizens living in poverty, the disabled, and the
mentally ill. Sociological theories explaining homelessness include the Conflict Theory, Self
Determination Theory, and Functionalist theories.
Description of Social Problem
The homeless do not have a home. The homeless will either live in cars, on the streets, or
in homeless shelters. Most people believe the homeless consist of people who chose this life
because of drug addiction or who are mentally ill but the reality is the homeless also consist of
families and individuals who have faced financial struggles. Culture can impact homelessness
and is more prevalent in groups who embrace the individualistic lifestyle (Nelson, 2010).
Citizens who are from communal cultures are at a lower risk for ending up homeless as a result
of family and community support. Public policy and the resources made available to social
workers also impacts the prevalence of homelessness in a community.
Prevalence of Homelessness
In America, homelessness is a major problem. As of 2015, there were 564,708 chronic
homeless people in America (Feldman et al., 2017). The states with the biggest homeless
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populations are California and New York but the problem pervades states across the nation. Even
the number of homeless has begun to drop, at the peak of the recession close to 2.5 million
Americans lived in shelters or on the streets (Feldman et al., 2017). Out of the current homeless
population 24.8% are veterans and 17.7% are 18 and older (Feldman et al., 2017, p. 366). The
research showed the highest prevalence for homelessness is amongst males 18 and older who
speak English (Feldman et al., 2017).
Specific Populations
The populations the most impacted by homelessness are the mentally ill, veterans, the
disabled, poor families and single parent households, drug and substance abusers, and victims of
domestic violence. While the prevalence for homelessness is usually connected to the mentally
ill and veterans, more and more families are facing extreme poverty resulting in homelessness.
Some populations are chronically homeless while others will experience homelessness for short
periods of time. People who are chronically homeless tend to be mentally ill or disabled (Lee et
al., 2010). These populations have difficulty finding and keeping work which in turn makes them
more vulnerable for ending up in the streets.
Many veterans end up homeless despite the services made available the U.S. military.
Research conducted by Tsai & Rosenheck (2015, p. 177) revealed the greatest risk factors
associated with veteran homelessness is PTSD, mental illness, low income, adverse childhood
experiences, and social isolation. For the disabled and the mentally ill, a lack of social support
and poverty increase the likelihood of homelessness. According to Nelson (2010) people with
serious mental health disorders are the most vulnerable to ending up homeless. A lack of
resources and services increase the risk to the mentally ill.
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Theories on Homelessness
There are several sociological theories that can explain homelessness. According to the
conflict theory, homelessness is the result of the division of society into classes (Mago et al.,
2013). When some people in society have all of the resources while others do not, it results in
poverty. Poverty leads to homelessness. Homelessness is a social problem and is caused by
capitalism. The have nots are denied the opportunity to succeed which prevents them from
gaining the material needs they require to survive in a capitalist society. Populations forced into
the lower classes become vulnerable to becoming homeless because they are deprived of good
jobs and access to a fair share of the country’s resources and goods.
The Self Determination Theory blames homelessness on a lack of motivation. There are
many causes for a lack of self-determination which can include a lack of competence, lack of
social support, and personality traits (Hanna, 2015). Some people will be more intrinsically
motivated to change their circumstances over other people. They are more easily discouraged
and suffer with past childhood experiences which can make it more difficult for the homeless
individual to cope. According to this theory, the homeless that suffered childhood abuse will lack
the skills or the confidence to make positive changes in their lives (Hanna, 2015). The homeless
person learns maladaptive behaviors which impairs their ability to be motivated.
From the functionalist perspective, homelessness is a function of society. The homeless
adapt to their circumstances and learn to survive the hardships it imposes (Ravenhill, 2008).
Based on this perspective, people in society view the homeless as a problem impacting the entire
population. Homelessness is the end result of problems in society, such as poverty, mental health
issues, substance abuse, etc. society is interconnected and each aspect works to create a unified
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whole. Homelessness is the result of a lack of balance in society. When something is wrong in
society it creates an imbalance.
Conclusion
Homelessness is a problem that impacts citizens across the United States and across the
globe. People who are homeless do not have a home and will sleep on the streets or in shelters.
Over the last few years, as the economy has recovered, the number of homeless have dropped but
there are still over half of million people living without a permanent home. The populations most
vulnerable to becoming vulnerable are the mentally ill, disabled, veterans, drug addicted, single
family homes, and the poor. Sociological theories used to explain homelessness include Conflict
Theory, Self Determination Theory, and Functionalist theories.
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References
Feldman, B. et al. (2017). Prevalence of Homelessness in the Emergency Department Setting.
Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 18(3), 366–372.
Hanna, S. (2015). The Relationship between Self-determination and Client Outcomes among the
Homeless. San Bernardino, CA: California State University
Lee, B. et al. (2010). The New Homelessness Revisited. Annual Review of Sociology, 1, 36: 501–
521.
Mago, V. et al. (2013). Analyzing the impact of social factors on homelessness: a Fuzzy
Cognitive Map approach. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 13, 94.
Nelson, G. (2010). Housing for people with serious mental illness: approaches, evidence and
transformative change. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 37, 123-146.
Ravenhill, M. (2008). The culture of homelessness. Abingdon, Oxon: Ashgate Publishing Group
Tsai, J. & Rosenheck, R. (2015). Risk Factors for Homelessness among US Veterans.
Epidemiologic Review, 37, 177–195.

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