The Homeless: What Makes Home a Home?

Eight years later, l996, nearly functioning Americans and all government agencies ar very informed of and concerned nigh the number of home slight person people on the streets, living in shelters, under bridges, and in tunnels. As an example, a l990 survey conducted by sociable services of New York urban core estimated that more than 5,000 of the most disposed members of American society resided in the aband unitaryd tunnels under Manhattan (McCall 67). These are nameless, faceless individuals who do not have much emotional impact on the median(a) person. Not so the story of Holly and her family as described in Kozol's book.

Holly, who spent most of her childhood in foster homes, get-go became pregnant in 12th grade. At that time, she became the victim of disagreement and stereotyping as an unwed, teen-mother. This led to a series of low-paying jobs, lack of confidence, and in time another child. At one point, she tried to go back to school to complete a GED, but this educational attempt was interrupted when her mother, with whom she was then living, was evicted. At this point, she was forced to deliberate to welfare to support her children. She was living in a homeless shelter when she learned she was pregnant for the third time, this time by her new husband, David. Now her nuclear family consisted of her two children, by diametric fathers, and her husband, who was out of work.

Subsequently, she lost her place in the homeless center because she wanted

The city doomed the family, especially the parents, for the infant's death. Holly contends that they did the outperform they could and that no one would help them. twain are partially correct; neither the system nor Holly did what was best for the child. After the baby's death, Holly had a breakdown, but her greatest worry was about the effect of his death on her young daughter. The only cheer the parents could express was that the baby was in heaven and would suffer no more.

Kushner, Harold. "Fear of Crime". McCalls. April l994: 67+.

Burke, Harvey C. "Homelessness In America." Business Horizons May-June l994: 19-26.

The authoritative others in her life could not help her.

Her primary social assistance came from others who were also living in shelters and hotels set deviation for homeless people. Her nutrition was poor and so was her shelter. She had no comprehend of permanency in any place she recognised, and she had to depend on others, from all types of agencies, to help her with her problems.

Our society is less civil and less caring about the individual or the family than it was a half-century ago. This seems to be true without question. Objective observations and reality tells us that our sense of certificate of indebtedness and responsibility have weakened. The signs of decline in behavior are everywhere. The fact that 30 percent of our nation's children are being natural out of wedlock and/or raised in single-family parents is an example. It is one of the reasons that people like Holly can only survive and do not live well. The population is no longer intent to take care of small children who need help; society, as a whole, has decided that single, unwed mothers must be liable for the fate of their children. Yet society is reaping the results of this neglect and indifference. About 70 percent of juvenile crimes are committed by children who live in fatherless homes (Fields 33).

Fields, Daniel. The Futrist Jan./Feb. l993: 83-86.

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