Social Problems: Homelessness Essay - Sociology 101, Fall 2024

This essay examines homelessness as a significant social issue in America, tracing its roots back to the 18th century. It delves into the complex nature of homelessness, identifying key causes such as family breakdown, economic hardship, addiction, and inadequate mental health services. The essay applies conflict theory to understand how capitalism contributes to the problem, highlighting the division between those with and without capital. It predicts that homelessness will persist in the next five years, but anticipates a decline due to government and NGO interventions providing shelter and food programs. The essay concludes by emphasizing the need for continued efforts, including anti-homelessness campaigns and partnerships with human rights institutions, to address and potentially eradicate homelessness in the future.

Running head: HOMELESSNESS 1
Social Issue Essay
Student
Institution

HOMELESSNESS 2
Homelessness in America
Introduction
Homelessness is a major social issue in America since the 18th century. As per the 2018
report by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, there were approximately
553,000 people being homeless, 0.17 percent of America’s population (Neale, 2016). In this
essay, the nature of homelessness in America will be explained. An application of theoretical
perspective towards homelessness will also be done. Last, the essay will predict the state of
homelessness in the next 5 years to both America and the world at large.
Causes and Conditions of Homelessness
The nature of homelessness is often complex and interactive in nature. According to
(Neiditch, 2017), social forces such as family breakdown, poor economic state, addictions,
mental illness, high cost of living, and inadequate mental health services cause homelessness in
the world. The Unites States of America for example has approximately 553,000 people living
homeless in the streets and reserves. In the modern day, issues of family breakdown have raised
and this leaves children homeless, and some of them become street boys and girls. The other
causes of homelessness are laziness, lack of education, demotivation, inadequate resources, and
lack of dedication.
Conflict Theory and Homelessness
In reference to conflict theory, capitalism is attributed to the homelessness issue in the
world and particularly America. Capitalism divides those who have capital with those who do
not have. According to (Neale, 2016), potential social forces like capitalism, patriarchy,
imperialism, and home ownership and homeless people lose stake in all of them. In Karl Marx’s
conflict theory, the society is made up of two classes, the workers and owners. Basically, the
workers get exploited by owners by being denied access to basic needs such as food and shelter.
Under Karl Marx conflict theory, capitalist society like America consider wealth as a resource
earned through hard work, education or dedication (Neale, 2016). The homeless people are seen
to be demotivated, lazy, and uneducated. Therefore, capitalism causes homelessness in America.
Prediction of social problem in 5 years

HOMELESSNESS 3
In the next 5 years, the issue of homelessness will still exist in America and other parts of
the world. However, the government is taking actions to rectify this social issue. Such actions
include partnership with NGOs for emergency response in provision of shelter and food
programs (Neale, 2016). Currently, the provision of accommodation, housing and food support is
geared to moving people out of homelessness. Thus, in the next 5 years, homelessness will not
be a big social issue like today, and the number of homeless people will have declined
considerably. More so, the government needs to launch anti-homelessness campaigns and
actively partner with institutions that fight for human rights to end this issue completely in the
next decade.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the issue of homelessness continues to trouble the world. The main causes
of this issue are family breakdown, poverty, laziness, lack of education, and demotivation just to
mention a few. Capitalism the root cause of homelessness, and this is as per conflict theory. If
the government takes emergency actions such as provision of food and shelter to the homeless
and partner with other human rights institutions; homeless people will reduce in the next 5 years.

HOMELESSNESS 4
References
Neale, J. (2016). Theorising homelessness: contemporary sociological and feminist perspectives.
Homelessness and Social Policy, 6(3), 35-49.
Neiditch, D. (2017). How Bad is Homelessness In America? Social Policy , 3(1), 6-10.