Homelessness in America

Each country in the world is faced with various social issues that attract the interest of numerous stakeholders. And when society is faced with such social issues the general citizenly come together and try to resolve whatever issue is at hand. In certain social issue society generally feel like it is their responsibility to assist certain population of the citizens that has been determined as needy however they has been some social problems that have been existence in America that have not been fully or never completely resolved. The number of people that are being pushed on the streets for various reasons has been steadily increasing. Homelessness has been a long time America’s social problem. The word homelessness has been in use in America for about 150 years. Nevertheless there has been no clear cut generally accepted definition for homelessness. There have been many different definitions with characteristically criteria used by the various interest groups in trying to serve or screen and decide who to provide support for. Arnold points out that “The literature about homelessness can be summed up under the two broad categories: of conservative or progressive interpretations” (116). The vagrancy law and the modern anti-homeless policies strive to end this long lasting social challenge. The desire for control and claims of peace and order are often what leads to the creation of statutes aimed at the very weak of society. Moreover most of the laws and statutes are supported by both bureaucrats and the average citizen. The need for response to the increase numbers of the homeless is what triggers the support of city ordinances to control the actions and behavior on the street. However when ordinances are enacted the analysis as Amster concludes, cities enact the ordinances to promote public safety pedestrians congestion and public health. The consequences of the ordinances on the homeless however are it self a violation of the public safety and respect to

Bibliography: Amster, Randall. Street People And The Contested Realms of Public Space. LFB Scholarly Publication LLC: New York, 2004.