This essay will focus on the issue of homelessness. Homelessness is a term on which many may have their own option. Vijay K Mago's definition in the article “Analyzing the Impact of Social Factors on Homelessness: A Fuzzy Cognitive Map” was the most relevant definition. She states that “homelessness is a complex social problem with a variety of underlying economic and social factors such as; poverty, lack of affordable housing, uncertain physical and mental health, substance abuse, and community and family breakdown.” Various combinations of these factors contribute to the duration, frequency and type of homelessness. For a person to be completely homeless, they must be living without shelter. However, many experience partial homelessness which may include temporary, uncertain or substandard shelter. “Homelessness is a difficult term to define, which is why governments face uncertainty when creating and implementing policies that they hope will effectively manage or eradicate this problem . » Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The term homeless largely affects sociology in many different factors. There was a drastic increase in homelessness levels between 1980 and 1990 and this level has continued to fall over the past 20 years. When we think of the term “homelessness,” we tend to think of the broader definition of “people living on the streets.” This is certainly a rather narrow definition that has shaped much of the work of geographers on this subject. Another way of trying to understand homelessness is to try to understand something of these experiences themselves, by “defining; homelessness in relation to the absence of feelings of emotional attachment, security and control (usually) associated with a sense of “home”. » Homelessness is just one shape of a much bigger picture. This topic does not only concern this person or one family, it affects the community as a whole, the state and even the government. As the number of homeless people increases, so do drug overdoses, crime, sexual assault, and more. are also increasing… “The lack of an overarching national housing strategy to coordinate these levels of government often leads to inadequate policies and funding, falling well short of stated goals. meet the country’s housing needs.” The problem will only get worse if nothing is done to stop the rising poverty rates that are affecting homelessness rates. Dating from around the 1840s, the term homeless was often associated with a drunken habit. “It was popular belief that drunkards, usually men, drank their wages and impoverished their families; they lost their jobs and their homes, and drove away their wives and children through cruel treatment. “In the 1890s, the public had the same ideas about cocaine, opium and morphine addicts and the unfortunate situation of their affected families. It was a term that continued to get a bad rap and made all homeless people look like alcoholics or drug addicts until "studies of the homeless before the Great Depression revealed that the number of homelessness rose and fell with economic conditions. .- The economy of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries caused a significant number of people to lose their jobs and therefore their financial security. The term homelessbegan to be questioned, moving from being something caused by a “problem” to something that simply becomes unfortunate for a person and/or family. Workers without families to support and workers considered the least productive were the first to be laid off. “Employers thought that young single women would be supported by their families and that married women didn't really need a second income. Older men, single men known to drink heavily, and members of ethnic groups or racial minorities were more likely to be laid off. “Financial income began to be the issue behind the rise in homelessness and the reason why the numbers continued to rise. The years 1941 to 1973 were a period of prosperity in the United States. The government began to increase social programs, such as Medicare, affordable housing, and benefits for people with disabilities. New programs were created to help heavy drinkers and drug users, and local governments began investing in projects to clean up urban areas and breathe new life into cities filled with homeless people. The government has noted an improvement in the economic situation of the elderly, but the results have not been quite as hoped. Some towns that had “skidding” areas were bulldozed. . The government thought it would help these people find newer, better shelters, but in reality it did the opposite. Homelessness became a literal condition, the poor actually had no home to live in. In 1980, the media began reporting that a new, younger generation of homeless people had become the problem. These younger people appeared to have high rates of excessive drinking, mental illness, and drug use. “As a result, many observers have explained new homelessness as the result of policies regarding mental hospitals and imprisonment for public drunkenness and minor drug offenses.” “People experiencing homelessness are more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions and complications due to housing instability. “Emergency rooms, crisis response systems, and public safety systems are used at a much higher rate by people experiencing homelessness” and recent studies on homelessness continue to support that can- being 85 percent of homeless people are drug addicts and/or mentally ill, meaning homelessness is a problem. something very costly for our government and for us, the taxpayers. In the 1960s and 1970s, many states deinstitutionalized both alcoholics, drug addicts, and the mentally ill, making it much more difficult to involuntarily commit a person to a mental institution. Many states have also “decriminalized” public drunkenness. People who were drunk in public were sent to places where they could sober up rather than being sent to prison. Similarly, minor drug offenders were kept out of prisons. “Homelessness has been described by many as a condition in which people find themselves struggling and struggling. Not only were they homeless, but they were also excluded from the institutions that once sheltered them.” “About 550,000 Americans were homeless at the start of this year, and one in five lived in New York or Los Angeles.” Homelessness is more common in urban areas and is not a problem that grew overnight..