Category: Homelessness

Introduction

Schizophrenia is commonly known as a mental disease or disorder. However, the ailment is chronic and affects the brain. There are several factors that are known to contribute to schizophrenia. One such factor is genes and environment of an individuals upbringing. Another major factor is brain damage that causes an imbalance in brain functions. Individuals suffering from schizophrenia are known to experience symptoms such as acute anxiety, hallucinations and weird thoughts.

Some people are known to exhibit signs of agitation and aggressiveness. Therefore, schizophrenics find it difficult to make important decisions in life. Moreover, it is also difficult for such a person to live a normal life. The probability of such an individual to lack basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter is high. In this respect, most schizophrenics are unable to access shelter and ultimately become homeless.

Homelessness is a condition where people are deprived basic needs and lacks a place to call home. Homelessness can be described from different dimensions. For example, total lack of a shelter or home to live can be termed as homelessness. In addition, lack of a safe dwelling place with adequate amenities can be described as homelessness. Individuals who do not have a regular place to live with other family members are termed as homeless.

For many years, poverty and diseases have been termed as the main causes of homelessness. In this respect, a direct relation between schizophrenia and homelessness can be evidenced. It is difficult for mentally insane individuals to make correct life decisions that can be provide in a home. A safe home with adequate facilities can only prosper if an individual living in such a place is mentally sane.

Research background

Schizophrenia is an illness with multiple limitations in life. Among these limitations is the lack of capacity to live a normal life. This is evidenced where the social setting does not allow a schizophrenic person to live in a safe home. An unsafe place is devastating to a person suffering from schizophrenia. In fact, this worsens and makes the recovery process for such a person difficult. A proper home plays a critical role in ensuring that home-based care solutions are met without much difficult.

The deprivation and lack of safe and adequate living conditions are prevalent among schizophrenic individuals. It is important to note that schizophrenic people tend to isolate themselves. This is one aspect of homelessness. Sometimes homelessness is forced on people with mental disorder by acts of isolation and seclusion from the mainstream society. The mere fact that social ties lacks in lives of people living with mental disorders exemplifies the relationship between schizophrenia and homelessness.

The defragmentation of a normal family life can always be the main cause of homelessness. This happens to schizophrenic individuals who are unable to live their normal lives. On the other hand, environmental factors such as poor families, poor neighborhoods can always contribute to schizophrenia cases. For example, people who live in poverty stricken societies tend to engage in activities that are destructive. This is mostly evidenced among people who engage in the use of alcohol and drugs.

From a medical point of view, abuse of drugs like marijuana, alcohol and other ecstasy drugs have been tipped to cause schizophrenia. Eventually, people who engage in such destructive lifestyles become homeless. They leave their families, engage in crime or become mentally ill. Considering that such people come from poverty stricken communities, it is obvious that homelessness among schizophrenic individuals becomes prevalent. It is even difficult to access care for poor individuals who are mentally ill.

Purpose of the study

This research paper seeks to examine the relationship between homelessness and schizophrenia. The research paper reviews the prevalence of homelessness among schizophrenic individuals. Moreover, the research also focuses on the prevalence of schizophrenia among the homeless. As a matter of prudence, the research seeks to know the barriers toward achieving care for schizophrenic individuals and the various solutions that have previously been executed.

Research questions

The following are some of the research questions to be addressed in this research paper.

1. What is the prevalence of homelessness among the schizophrenic individuals?
2. What is the prevalence of the schizophrenic individuals among the homeless?
3. What are the barriers for care towards schizophrenic individuals?
4. What are the previous solutions for the care of schizophrenic individuals?

Prevalence of homelessness among schizophrenic

According to a survey done between 1197 and 2010 by the Department of Health and Human Services, the number of homeless among the schizophrenia cases was approximately 200,000. In a study conducted by Folsom et al. (2005) on more than 10,000 mental ill patients in San Diego, a high prevalence of homelessness in mentally ill was established.

According to Folsom et al. (2005), the sample population of the study included patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. From the study, it was established that the prevalence of homelessness among the mentally ill patients was 15%. However, it was established that other variables such as age, ethnicity, substance abuse and Medicaid were major factors in patients homelessness.

From the study, the researchers concluded that homelessness is one critical concern for mental health. The researchers agree that the prevalence of homelessness among the ill patients can be associated with the poor quality of life and other life-endangering elements.

For example, homelessness can be a mental burden to an individual. A homeless person is vulnerable to physical and mental assault, compared to an individual living in a well secured home. A homeless person is less likely to access medical care than a person living in a home.

In fact, the prevalence of death cases is more evidenced among homeless individuals. According to Folsom et al. (2005), a critical analysis on a psychiatric ward at the Department of Veterans Affairs show that most of individuals accessing care are homeless before admission. A further analysis on the same records shows that at least 7.5% of cases reported at the facility, comprise of individuals who shared public shelter for at least 3 years.

Among the mentally ill patients, a large number of homeless people are men. On the same note, more African-Americans are found to be homeless compared to other ethnic groups. Another important aspect that contributes to a higher prevalence of homelessness among the mentally-ill is substance abuse. According to Folsom et al. (2005), the prevalence of homelessness among schizophrenic patients was higher than in other mental illnesses.

For example, the prevalence of homelessness among patients with bipolar disorder and depression was 17% and 9% respectively. On the other hand, a 20% percent of schizophrenic patients were found to be homeless. In fact, this was supplemented by the fact that schizophrenic patients prefer the in-patient mode of hospitalization, compared to home-based schizophrenics. In addition, the homeless schizophrenics were found to be hospitalized in emergency psychiatric units.

This shows how their mental condition was worse than home-based schizophrenics. A further revelation from the study shows that homelessness among schizophrenia patients was due to the extreme nature of their mental conditions. This had been contributed by lack of earlier access to medical attention. In this case, the higher-cost of living and outpatient-type mental treatments had resulted to hospitalization of schizophrenia patients.

The fact that schizophrenia patients admitted at the hospital facility had earlier lived in same conditions, especially in a public shelter for more than 3 years was evidenced in most cases. According to Folsom et al. (2005), the research concludes by asserting that lack of Medicaid insurance and substance abuse were major contributors to homelessness among schizophrenic patients. Further results indicate that co-morbid substance use disorders are likely to contribute to homelessness among mentally-ill patients.

Prevalence of schizophrenia among the homeless

In a research conducted by Fazel, Khosla, Doll & Geddes (2008), it is evident that people with mental disorders are more likely to be homeless than mentally sane individuals. The research was based on population from western countries in Europe and North America. From a general perspective taken by the researchers, it is estimated that a majority of people who are homeless worldwide are mentally sick. It is general knowledge that at least 1 million people are poor and do not have an access to mental health worldwide.

The researchers conducted a research on other surveys done on the same in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. According to Fazel, Khosla & Geddes (2008), more than 380,000 people in the United States are homeless. This number doubles in the United Kingdom at any time of the year. An estimated 40% of this number lives in the streets or live in public shelters like emergency hostels and temporary make-shifts.

In a number of researches analyzed by the researchers, it has been estimated that psychological disorders among the homeless, in the mentioned countries range from 2% to 31%. This can be compared to other major mental health issues such as depression and personality disorders. The increase and prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among the homeless has been contributed by lack of low-cost houses and support programs that help the ill patients.

The findings of the research conducted on 29 surveys, and from a total of 5,684 homeless individuals show that prevalence rates of psychotic issues were high. Schizophrenia is among some of the mental problems mentioned among the homeless individuals. It estimated that 37.9% of the homeless individuals suffered from mental disorders, compared to 24.4% of cases found among individuals abusing alcohol and drugs.

It is evident from the two researches that there exists a connection between homelessness and schizophrenia. It is evident that schizophrenia cases are hard to tackle especially if the patient cannot afford basic needs in life. While homelessness can be a leading factor towards extreme cases of schizophrenia, schizophrenia can also be a cause of homelessness.

It is essential to consider that lack of a proper home can exert pressure in an individual, to the extent of mental burdening. However, poor living conditions are an example of environments that breed schizophrenic cases. It is also important to consider the fact that genetic factors are also major causes of schizophrenia.

Barriers for schizophrenia care

As indicated earlier, schizophrenia is chronic and can start to develop in an individual at an early stage. In such cases, the symptoms aligned to schizophrenia are ignored, and early detection of the disease is not executed (Forbes, 2010). This makes the intervention to the disease difficult at later stages.

An access to the disease treatment is sometimes costly to poor individuals, especially to those perceived as homeless. Some studies show that lack of proper equipments in health facilities has become a treatment barrier to schizophrenia. For patients with multiple ailments like diabetes and obesity, it becomes difficult to treat schizophrenia. According to Cochrane (2006), a combination of multiple disorders in a schizophrenic patient is dangerous and requires critical care.

For most patients that visit health centers, the ignorance of their mental health is evidenced by their concern for general health issues. The recent studies on the schizophrenia medications indicate that anti-psychotics medicines have negative side-effects. For example, patients who take anti-psychotics are usually at higher risks of having other complications such as diabetes and obesity. In addition, it has also been noted that schizophrenia patients do not stick to prescribed medications.

This is due to lack of proper follow-ups by physicians. Considering that some patients are homeless, they have no one to take care of them and remind them of their medication. It is common knowledge that schizophrenic patient do not comply with treatment, due to their mental status.

There are concerns that lack of clinical records for schizophrenic patients, may be a hindrance to accessing important patients health records. Another barrier to proper schizophrenia care is hindered by lack of medical consultation time.

Medical practitioners are always wary of the impairment of both cognitive and social abilities that are difficult to repair during the treatment process. Moreover, the stigma that is associated with mentally insane individuals is overwhelming to schizophrenic individuals. Such individuals feel insecure and isolated in the society. This hinders the treatment and recovery process in such individuals.

Solutions to treatment barriers

In order to ensure that barriers to schizophrenia treatment and care are resolved, various measures require to me made. According to Baker (2005), such measures include having a plan to provide adequate homes for patients who are homeless. This requires government and non-government involvement in building stable shelters for the patients. A low-cost schizophrenia treatment program can be critical in ensuring that access to schizophrenia is made available to the poor.

Community-based support programs are essential in identifying schizophrenia cases and offering basic home-based care to such individuals. Proper training to medics and physicians in handling schizophrenia cases in every health facility within the society is essential. The use of electronic health records is imperative in tracking the medical and health history of a schizophrenia patient. Proper medication and follow-up programs for nurses and medic consultants are critical.

Conclusion

It is important to understand that schizophrenia is one of the most dreaded public health issues. As indicated earlier, the disorder is most prevalent among individuals who are less privileged in the society. There is a positive co-relation between homelessness and schizophrenia.

Therefore, schizophrenia intervention should be directed towards providing adequate home facilities. Such interventions should ensure that a schizophrenic patient lives under safe and secure means. Considering that relapse of the disorder is common among schizophrenia patients, proper follow-up programs require to be implemented by nurses.

References

Baker, A. (2005). Palliative and end-of-life care in the serious and persistently mentally ill population. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 11(5), 298-303.

Cochrane, E., M. (2006). Medical co-morbidity risk factors and barriers to care for people with schizophrenia. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 13(4), 447-452.

Fazel, S., Khosla, V., Doll, H. & Geddes, J. (2008). The prevalence of mental disorders among the homeless in western countries: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis. PloS Med 5(12), 225. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050225.

Folsom, D., P., Hawthorne, W., Lindamer, L., Gilmer, T., Bailey, A., Golshan, S.&.Jeste, D., V. (2005). Prevalence and risk factors for homelessness and utilization of mental health services among 10,340 patients with serious mental illness in a large public mental health system. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 162(2), 370-376.

Forbes, V., J. (2010). Unawareness as a barrier to treatment in patients with schizophrenia: A conceptual analysis. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health, 48(3), 30-36.

Introduction

Homeless people constitute one of the most vulnerable groups in society. They often arrive at their situation due to domestic violence, unemployment or underemployment and lack of affordable housing, forced eviction or power abuse, natural disasters, mental disorders, etc. Some are born into homelessness. Once in the street, these people become victims of the social stigma. They have little chance of finding proper housing, and, having little support and no hope, are forced to fend for themselves. It is no wonder that they suffer from numerous health problems, and have very little chance to get the proper health care if any at all. In this paper, we will discuss the health problems that are commonly faced by homeless people (adult men and women, children, and adolescents).

Body

Homeless adults usually suffer from 8-9 diseases simultaneously. They often have dermatologic problems (lice, eczema, scabies, etc.), respiratory infections, dental conditions, injury, foot diseases (fungal infections, trench foot), sight problems, and mental illnesses, as well as thermoregulatory issues (Donohoe, 2004). They frequently suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, tuberculosis, hypertension, HIV/AIDS (American Psychological Association, n.d., para. 5). Homeless people of both sexes report mental problems (74% men and 83% women), so there is no substantial difference. The significant difference is also absent when it comes to substance use (73% men, 68% women) (Edens, Mares, & Rosenheck, 2011). Still, males appear to more frequently abuse alcohol than women. It is also known that 47% of homeless women meet the criteria for a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, which is two times higher than the same rate for women in general (American Psychological Association, n.d., para. 5)

Homeless people have a high mortality rate, and their lifespan rarely exceeds 45 years. Homeless women commonly have suffered from childhood abuse (more than half of all homeless children and women become homeless attempting to escape domestic violence). Homeless girls and women very often suffer from sexually transmitted diseases due to the non-availability of reproductive health services, prostitution, and sex traded for food, shelter, or substances  the so-called survival sex (Donohoe, 2004).

The non-availability of contraceptives and other means of birth control combined with the frequent survival sex mean that homeless women get pregnant often; the pregnancy rate among them is approximately two times higher than the national rate (Donohoe, 2004, para. 10). While pregnant, women suffer from numerous health conditions and are unable to get proper medical care, which also affects the health of their future children. Children born into homelessness are exposed to a significantly higher risk of death than children who have a home. As for common illnesses, homeless children very often have respiratory, ear, and skin infections& developmental delay, and face neglect and abuse (Donohoe, 2004, para. 9). The developmental delay often becomes evident at an early age, during infanthood, and leads to significant psychological and physical problems which cause emotional disorders and lack of social skills. Homeless children also often suffer from stunted growth, anemia, cardiac and neurological diseases.

Homeless adolescents suffer from numerous health issues as well. These include malnutrition, thermoregulatory issues (e.g., heatstroke and hypothermia), sexually transmitted infections (hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, and others), asthma, traumatic injury (including self-inflicted injury), and other problems (Murphy & Tobin, 2012, 638-639). They also often abuse substances.

Conclusion

To sum up, it should be noted that homeless people, one of the most vulnerable groups in society, suffer from numerous health problems. On average, they have 8-9 illnesses simultaneously. All the four identified groups (homeless men, women, children, and adolescents) experience various chronic health conditions, such as asthma. They also have dermatologic problems. Both adults and teenagers often abuse substances and suffer from sexually transmitted diseases. Women and girls are more prone to sexually transmitted diseases due to survival sex; they also have high pregnancy rates. All the groups are vulnerable to thermoregulatory issues. Most adults of both sexes have mental problems; children experience developmental disorders that significantly influence their lives when they become adolescents. All the groups often experience trauma due to harsh conditions they live in; sometimes, especially among adolescents, traumas are self-inflicted.

References

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Health & homelessness. Web.

Donohoe, M. (2004). Homelessness in the United States: History, epidemiology, health issues, women, and public policy. Web.

Edens, E. L., Mares, A. S., & Rosenheck, R. A. (2011). Chronically homeless women report high rates of substance use problems equivalent to chronically homeless men. Womens Health Issues, 21(5), 383-389.

Murphy, J. J., & Tobin, K. (2012). Addressing the problems of homeless adolescents. Journal of School Leadership, 22(3), 633-663.

Article 1: Homelessness Interventions in Georgia: Rapid Re-Housing, Transitional Housing, and the Likelihood of Returning to Shelter

The first article is Homelessness Interventions in Georgia: Rapid Re-Housing, Transitional Housing, and the Likelihood of Returning to Shelter by Rodriguez and Eidelman (2017), where the researchers primarily focus on three different forms of homelessness interventions, such as traditional emergency shelter or ES, transitional housing or TH, and rapid re-housing or RRH. The studys population can be categorized into two distinct groups, which are households without children and households with children. It is important to note that researchers utilized one individual from a household as a representative of the latter, and thus, it is not plausible to determine individual characteristics, such as ethnicity, gender, or age. The overall data was collected from Georgias Homeless Management Information System or HMIS. The interventions studied were TH and RRH with ES serving as a reference point or control, and the time length is manifested in the analysis, which assesses the general likelihood of a household returning to a shelter within a two-year period (Rodriguez & Eidelman, 2017). The research design is a quantitative one by nature since it evaluates the numeric variables of households in regards to homelessness factors. More specifically, generalized linear mixed modeling was used to control for other varieties of characteristics through propensity score matching. The data was obtained from HMIS of Georgia, which means no face-to-face analysis with households took places, such as focus groups, interviews, questionnaires, or other formats (Rodriguez & Eidelman, 2017).

The findings needed to be categorized into two different sets since there is an evident divergence in access of households to RRH and TH. In other words, the samples needed to be matched for their equality of opportunity for both interventions, which would provide a more accurate assessment of the given homelessness interventions. Before the matching procedure, the results indicate that RRH was vastly superior to TH, which is especially true in regards to households without children. In general, the sample from RRH was without children, had better income possibilities, and more advantageous access to the benefits.

In addition, RRH groups had more probability of having multiple children compared to the other groups, and women representatives of RRH households accounted for around 50%, whereas in TH and ES, they only accounted for one quarter and one third, respectively (Rodriguez & Eidelman, 2017). In the case of ethnicity and race, households without children were predominantly white male veterans with disabilities, who were also ten years older that the comparative group. More accurate demonstration of the effectiveness of these interventions also needed to be analyzed after matching, where only households with equal opportunities or options for both RRH and TH were considered. Expectedly, the subset of the sample possessed better income in the forms of cash and non-cash benefits. After conducting control for all variables, the findings indicate that both TH and RRH are significantly more effective at reducing the likelihood of one returning to shelters. Therefore, these two interventions are better options or alternatives to ES since they reduce the problem of chronic homelessness. However, it is also important to point out key limitations of the study, which are manifested in the fact that the majority of the population struggling with chronic homelessness were excluded by research design, where RRH programs were less likely to serve them. In addition, the use of HMIS inherently excludes households struggling with unsheltered homelessness issues, such as people living in vehicles.

Article 2: Evolving an EvidenceBased Model for Homelessness Prevention

The second article is Evolving an EvidenceBased Model for Homelessness Prevention by Oudshoorn et al. (2020), where the researchers analyze homelessness prevention domains from the basis of the existing literature and available data in order to provide a comprehensive assessment of the problem. There is no direct population being studied because it is a literature review paper, where 5091 databases and 99 records were searched. They underwent a selection process in regards to their relevance, where only 38 studies were included in the final assessment (Oudshoorn et al., 2020). The preventative measures were categorized into five main domains, which were housing stability, eviction prevention, early intervention, system prevention, and structural prevention (Oudshoorn et al., 2020). All these frameworks prevent homelessness on different stages of the route towards homelessness, which is why they provide an invaluable overview in order to create a more comprehensive and encompassing picture.

It is important to note that the structural domain revolves around affordable housing, violence prevention, landlord legislation, income support, and poverty reduction. In other words, these are systemic factors, which both directly and indirectly affect homelessness rates. The domain of system preventions includes public systems, such as social assistance, healthcare facilities, hospitals, child welfares, and prisons. The next domain is focused on early prevention, which is manifested in rapid re-housing programs or RRH. The latter has implications on a broader scale, which can be found in family violence factors, school-based interventions, shelter diversion, and family reunification and mediation (Oudshoorn et al., 2020). The fourth domain emphasizes the legislative and financial aspects of evictions because they also contribute to the increase in homelessness rates. The last domain is comprised of programs, such as Housing First, which aims to provide rent supplements and an integrative process into a community in order to prevent homelessness occurrence and reoccurrence rates. The research design is a literature review, where the source utilizes other sources of primary data.

The findings on the basis of research and analysis suggest that preventative actions can be applied on all five domains, but housing stability remains as the most influential and impactful preventer of homelessness. The authors suggest including a sixth domain called empowerment in order to provide an opportunity for quaternary preventative actions. The evident limitations of the study are the fact that it is a literature review derived from a pool of data through vigorous elimination and selection methods, which can exclude relevant and critical drivers of homelessness. In other words, the results can be limited within a scope of the existing literature with no clear indication of preliminary measures and equal quality of research sources. Researchers draw attention to the fact that we are talking about a complex social phenomenon, the understanding of which is not the same among different authors and among representatives of the state and public sectors. Homelessness is defined as a condition or social situation of a person associated with the lack of a place suitable for living, with the exception of state, municipal, or non-state institutions for the homeless, due to the fact that he or does not have the right to a specific dwelling that he could would be used for living, or there is no way to exercise such rights. In addition, hidden homelessness can be distinguished when a person has the opportunity to live somewhere but at the same time does not have registration at the place of residence or stay, and for one, the housing situation is unstable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the article findings are highly generalizable for the selected population since the proposed research primarily focuses on individuals struggling with homelessness. The first article provides a precise and accurate demonstration of the effectiveness of the selected solutions, which are rapid re-housing and transitional housing. The major finding of the article is manifested in the fact that they are highly superior and substantially better at reducing chronic homelessness than emergency shelters. Despite the targeted sample being mainly from Georgia, the key factors and programs are applicable to the overall United States population with minor differences, which are rooted in state-specific legislations and the prevalence elements of homelessness. In the case of the second article, it is important to point out the fact that the findings are more comprehensive and focused on prevention rather than interventions. However, the core principle, which is applicable and generalizable to the client population, is that rapid re-housing programs are both effective interventions and preventative measures against chronic homelessness problems. In addition, my approach would differ in that the emphasis will be equally put on two interventions, which are rapid re-housing and transitional housing. In order to better serve the clients, it is important to make these solutions more accessible with an accentuation on segments of the general homeless population because each of the measures possesses its own strengths and disadvantages.

References

Oudshoorn, A., Dej, E., Parsons, C., & Gaetz, S. (2020). Evolving an evidencebased model for homelessness prevention. Health & Social Care in the Community, 28(5), 1754-1763. Web.

Rodriguez, J. M., & Eidelman, T. A. (2017). Homelessness interventions in Georgia: Rapid re-housing, transitional housing, and the likelihood of returning to shelter. Housing Policy Debate, 27(6), 825-842. Web.

Introduction of the Complex

In this paper, I will present my project about the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex and its current problems. First, I would like to remind you of several interesting historical facts about this facility. The complex was opened at the beginning of the 1930s, and since then, dozens of golf professionals have played on that ground, won prizes, and left their memorable stories (History, n.d.). The list of names is quite long in its history: Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Walter Hagen, George Archer, Bob Murphy, and Bull Glasson shared their contributions at different periods (History, n.d.). Currently, the complex hires about 15 professionals who organize various events and work in more than 10 groups for visitors of different ages, races, and abilities (About, n.d.). In addition to these positive numbers of Haggin Oaks Golf, the complex can no longer ignore the number of homeless people living behind the territory. There are many problems and misunderstandings related to the problem of homelessness in Sacramento, but the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex is probably the most damaged organization in this context.

Purposes and Intentions

In this paper, I am going to focus on the solution to the problem of homelessness in the chosen region of Sacramento. First of all, I will underline the reasons why homelessness challenges the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex. Then, I will discuss the directions in which the solution should be developed. Finally, I will explain the roles of the government, environmentalists, and communication in solving the problem. Haggin Oaks Golf leaders need additional help and recommendations to change the situation. Thus, it is not enough to reveal the challenge but to think about available alternatives.

Homeless Camp Problems

Those who know nothing about the problem of homelessness in Sacramento and the Haggin Oaks Golf complex, in particular, should look at the picture from the news. The conditions under which people have to live today are devastating for homeless people and other citizens. Observing the roads around the complex, several reasons for focusing on the problem emerge:

1. Unsanitary encampments lead to poor health and infectious diseases spreading in the area;
2. Overcrowded roads decrease the desire to stop and enjoy the beauty of the place and its sights and increase the number of car accidents, affecting the number of the complexs visitors;
3. Polluted environments cannot be ignored because constant living on the street is associated with trash and waste;
4. Interpersonal conflicts are hard to avoid, as not all employees are satisfied with the presence of unwanted guests on the territory;
5. Finally, external threats like violent behaviors or unpredictable (unplanned) constructions make homelessness a serious challenge for Haggin Oaks Golf staff.

Steps to Solve the Problem

The problem has been properly identified and explained in the Haggin Oaks Golf context. Now, it is high time to think about the steps its leaders should take to find a solution. Of course, homelessness is not a personal problem but a public concern that requires the involvement of many people with different backgrounds. Thus, an analysis of the situation, including recent reports and news, is expected. The next step is to consider alternatives for homeless people. Just look at this piece of Sacramentos map  the territory for living is extensive, and it is possible to move from the road to more isolated areas. Besides, Haggin Oaks Golf managers should never be afraid to ask for help because the participation of new stakeholders (the government and environmentalists) makes the problem more recognizable in society. Finally, it is important to act and communicate so people see homelessness-associated issues and offer their ideas.

Government and Local Agencies

I think the impact of the government and other local agencies may contribute to solving the problem of homelessness. For example, firefighters reports prove the decisions urgency and the government has gathered enough information to ban homeless camps officially (Clift, 2022; Fuentes, 2021). Besides, many profit and non-profit organizations are eager to help homeless people, and Haggin Oaks Golf should find such companies to ensure additional financing and support (Passmore, 2022). Finally, police cooperation plays an important role because officers know how to deal with trespassers and enhance public control and order (Passmore, 2022). Involving the government is the strongest and most effective way to solve the negative impact of homelessness.

Environment

Nobody rejects the importance of maintaining some pieces of natural beauty in a modern city. Sacramento is the capital of California, where nature and technological progress have been successfully combined. When Haggin Oaks Golf representatives admit they want to deal with homelessness, it does not mean they are anti-homeless; they are just pro-environment (Clift, 2022). The intention to keep a clean environment and order on the territory is common with the environmentalist movement. The complex can cooperate with organizations to predict the development of a humanitarian crisis in the state.

Communication

Do you think it is possible to communicate with a homeless person and find a solution to a common problem? I believe nothing is impossible, and this step is worth taking by Haggin Oaks Golf managers. It is never too late to approach the community that creates problems and gather information about common decision-making and solutions. Continuous research and meetings help discuss burning questions and find answers. Besides, it is also possible to discover some benefits of cooperation: homeless people can re-structure their lives, make them safer and more organized, and try to co-exist peacefully with Haggin Oaks Golf.

Conclusion

To sum up my findings and solutions, there are several critical conclusions for further discussion. Haggin Oaks Golf has the problem of homeless impact because not all golfers are eager to visit the complex because of the conditions on the sidewalks. However, there is always a solution for such situations: cooperation with different organizations is highly appreciated. The government may create specific bans and strengthen financing, and environmentalists might affect the worth of natural order and control. My main intention was to prove that communication and cooperation between Haggin Oaks Golf and the homeless community is the best and easiest solution at the moment.

References

About. (n.d.). Haggin Oaks. Web.

Clift, T. (2022). Sacramento leaders ban homeless camps from sidewalks, American River Parkway and more. The Sacrament Bee. Web.

Fuentes, Z. (2021). Homeless encampments, RV catch fire near Haggin Oaks golf course. abc 10. Web.

History. (n.d.). Haggin Oaks. Web.

Passmore, S. (2022). Neighbors, businesses detail homeless crisis near Del Paso Regional Park. CBS Sacramento. Web.

Introduction

Every country in the world, no matter how abundant or easy to live in, will have some proportion of homeless people. These citizens do not have a permanent residence for one reason or another and have to spend their nights in the streets or specialized shelters when any are available. Homelessness is generally seen as an extreme form of poverty when a person is so poor that they cannot afford necessities such as a place to live. As such, governments devote considerable efforts to trying to ensure that they recover and become functioning members of society, but their efforts generally fail. This essay will analyze the primary reasons why people become and stay homeless.

The Most Common Reasons

Poverty is indeed the foremost reason why people lose their place to stay. Other events can destroy ones residence, such as disasters, and reasons to become homeless voluntarily, but people who have money can rent a temporary place to stay. Poverty can result from different sources, both internal and external. A persons job can disappear due to the companys closure or staff cuts, they can be fired due to personal faults, or they can fail to find work in the first place. As a result, they will run out of resources quickly due to the high prices of housing and rent. They will then have no recourse but to take to the streets.

Following that logic, it should be possible for a person to eventually find a job and save enough money to afford basic housing. However, most of them do not think of looking for a permanent position with sufficient pay. The reason is that they are depressed due to their descent down to the lowest social class and cannot muster the willpower to try to improve. This tendency is also the reason why the use of alcohol and other drugs is so common among the group, even though it is a waste of resources. It is easier to escape ones shame than it is to overcome the obstacle of homelessness, even with outside help.

The fact of homelessness itself presents a significant issue in a persons job search. Most people who do not get an opportunity to clean themselves regularly become unpleasant in appearance due to dirty clothing, poor hygiene, and strong smell. As such, few people would hire an average homeless person, but even if they do and help them clean themselves up, further issues appear. Sleeping in the street is stressful due to various disturbances such as animals, noises, and other people. Combined with the pressures of a low-skilled job, which tend to be the extent of a homeless persons qualifications, the struggle becomes extremely difficult to overcome. Most people who have the mental fortitude to do so likely never lose their homes in the first place.

Conclusion

Overall, homelessness is a function of ones personality as much as factors such as prices, job cuts, and luck. People generally do not end up on the street because of personal faults, as many societies can provide jobs or sufficient relief for any person. However, they cannot escape their circumstances because they are too depressed to contemplate the idea of improving. The effort necessary to earn oneself a permanent residence is strenuous in itself, and so many people who try eventually give up. As such, even with governmental aid, the problem of homelessness cannot be eradicated easily.

Introduction

Most of the homeless in America are concentrated in large cities. There are several cities in which the number of homeless people is so big that the situation with the growth of homelessness in them is called an epidemic. First of all, these are Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and San Francisco (League of California Cities, 2020). The crisis is intensifying, and some argue that in the future the situation will only get worse. According to official statistics, there are 560,000 homeless people in the United States, that is, almost 2% of the population (League of California Cities, 2020). More than a quarter of them are located in prosperous California (League of California Cities, 2020). The number of people without a place to live continues to grow, and the measures taken do not bring tangible results to improve the situation.

Main body

Of the five largest cities in with the highest number of homeless people, four are located in California. One of them is San Diego; in this city, the law prohibits citizens from bothering/touching any person who sleeps along the sidewalk. Moreover, in San Diego, it is illegal to sleep in tents near the ocean and to use a parked vehicle as a home either overnight or for the day (Goodison et al., 2020). It should be noted that, according to data for 2016-2017, the number of homeless people in the country decreased by 3%. However, in California, the situation is the opposite  their numbers grew by 3% (League of California Cities, 2020, p. 4). At the same time, there are many organizations operating in the country that are trying to rectify the situation.

CalWORKs California Social Assistance Program provides families of two children and one parent with $714 monthly assistance. However, such a meager amount of benefits cannot be viewed as tangible help to the homeless. The problem is further aggravated by the lack of proper compassion for the homeless in society. Many claim that some homeless people are not victims of circumstances, but idlers or those who prefer homelessness because they want to stay outside politics and ideologies. The latter often refer to themselves as gutter punks or urban survivalists (Goodison et al., 2020). Wong (2016) describes how the situation becomes worse for homeless people in San Francisco: Sidewalk campgrounds have become a common sight in San Francisco, where homelessness is being tackled with a new law funded by urban billionaires (para. 1-5). In some streets, one can see up to 30-40 tents standing in a row.

The attitude towards the homeless in the state can be clearly seen, for example, based on the fact that at the referendum in 2016 the residents of the city were offered a draft law called Proposition Q. The authorities propose to prohibit tent camps: they will be demolished, and the property of the homeless will be destroyed (Knight, 2017, para. 5). The police responsibility will be to issue a 24-hour demolition warning to those living in tents, as well as provide shelter for all who were left without a roof over their heads (Knight, 2017, para. 5-6). Opponents of Proposition Q are confident that such an initiative by the authorities will lead to even greater criminalization of the homeless (Goodison et al., 2020). The proposed measure does not lead to increase in the number of housing for homeless. They move from street or district to another, hoping to acquire housing that does not exist, since the city sorely lacks shelters.

While wealthy lobbyists have donated great sums of money to campaigning for the above-described bill, socially responsible companies are taking their own steps to reduce homelessness. Apple has committed $400 million to tackle Californias housing crisis. Apples funding will be used to develop new affordable housing projects and to help middle-income and low-income homebuyers. The first four social housing projects have begun in partnership with the Silicon Valley Housing Trust (USC Equity Research Institute, 2020). At the same time, in 2019, the state of California allocated $1 billion to fight homelessness (USC Equity Research Institute, 2020). This is the largest spending on homelessness in the states history, but Californias homelessness rate continues to rise.

In this context, the need to use the concept of justice in the distribution of benefits, as well as mechanisms of public-private partnership to solve the problem of homelessness, is obvious, based on the theory of welferism, which is popular today. This theory argues that well-being is necessary for all people, regardless of their merit (Wagner & Gilman, 2015). Thus, age, race, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, religion, political ideology, immigration status, sex and life practices should not be the factors influencing the attitude to homeless.

Meanwhile, the image of a homeless person in the United States is filled with negative stereotypes. There are different points of view about the homeless and the policies towards them. Legislative and behavioral approaches criticize the homeless for their antisocial appearance and behavior. Three other perspectives  structural, advocacy, and political  suggest that they be viewed as citizens with a right to be in the public space, and link their plight to anti-poor economic and social policies (Wagner & Gilman, 2015). During COVID-19 crisis, homeless people became the most humiliated and discriminated group, and this should not be repeated.

Attitudes toward homelessness in public places, such as those observed in California, are expressed in attempts by city officials and large property owners to restrict this stay. This attitude can be regarded as part of a general change in the management of public space in the interests of business and government. The desire of the latter to take control of public space means their striving to monopolize the right to dispose of a common resource, which is a public space open and accessible to all.

Conclusion

However, the persecution of the homeless indicates that the use of public space for private interests is condemned if this is done by representatives of the so-called lower social classes of society. The appearance and public behavior of the homeless, unacceptable by middle class morals, leads to confusion in the public consciousness and opinion about homelessness as people with aggressive antisocial and criminal behavior, and causes the use of negative sanctions against the homeless (Wagner & Gilman, 2015). The spread of ideas about the connection between the homeless and the world of crime prevents public opinion from reaction to crimes committed against the homeless, violations of their civil rights. Since homeless people are largely deprived of their personal or private space, limiting their ability to take advantage of public space leads to their further desocialization and marginalization.

A brief study and an attempt to analyze the problem of homelessness in California suggests that the state currently lacks a coherent and effective policy on this issue, while the problem continues to worsen. In this regard, it seems necessary to conduct public discussions with the participation of all stakeholders, including representatives of homeless communities, in order to develop solutions based on stakeholder management. In this context, public-private partnership can become both an effective basis for the development and a mechanism for the implementation of such decisions.

References

Goodison, S., Barnum, J., Vermeer, M., Woods, D., Sitar, I., Jackson, B. (2020). The law enforcement response to homelessness. Santa Monica, CA: RAND.

Knight, H. (2017). Homeless camp-clearing Proposition Q beginning to have an impact. San Francisco Chronicle. Web.

League of California Cities (2020). Homelessness task force report: Tools and resources for cities and counties. Durham, UK: Institute for Local Government.

USC Equity Research Institute (2020). Toward a greater Los Angeles. Committee for Greater LA, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.

Wagner, D., & Gilman, J. (2015). Confronting homelessness: Poverty, politics, and the failure of social policy. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Wong, J. C. (2016). Wealthy San Francisco tech investors bankroll bid to ban homeless camps. The Guardian. Web.

Homelessness usually involves people encountering extreme hardship and desperate situations. More than half a million people become homeless in the United States, just one night (Montgomery et al., 2016). Nearly seven million Americans have so far encountered homelessness; 65% of these are found in homeless shelters as the remaining 35% are unsheltered in the streets. Homelessness in the U.S. is concentrated in the Northeast and West Coasts major cities. According to Levy (2017), 47% of homeless Americans are found in California, and they are spread across many parts of the state. Although homelessness has been a major social issue in the U.S., providing affordable housing options and creating community-coordinated frameworks can help reduce its prevalence, especially in Imperial Valley.

Creating community-coordinated initiatives is the first solution that can help reduce the prevalence of homelessness in Imperial Valley. Communities around this region should, therefore, collaborate and take a coordinated approach towards ending homelessness (Montgomery et al., 2016). One way to do this is to abandon individual programs collection and adopt a data-driven and strategic community-wide response to help house the homeless. The region will then apply data concerning the needs of the homeless in Imperial Valley to determine how they would distribute their services, resources, and programs. Planning, collecting, and examining the collected data are some of the critical features of a coordinated systems approach.

Providing affordable housing is another practical solution to homelessness in Imperial Valley. However, a rapid re-housing program would work best for those who have been affected in the region. It is a great initiative that has been created to fast connect the community members to housing and basic community services. While it provides temporary rental help and necessities, the main objectives are to help people get accommodation quickly and maximize self-sufficiency (Montgomery et al., 2016). One of the reasons this solution fits the residents of Imperial Valley is the fact that it is provided without any preconditions. The service providers will not look at the income, employment, sobriety, or criminal records of the beneficiary (Bowman & Meyers, 2020). The amenities and resources are often custom-made to fit the needs of the beneficiary. This program will get those undergoing homelessness into permanent homes and make them stay there. When individuals are connected to home, they will tackle other challenges that led them to become homeless. In Imperial Valley, the two major ones are substance abuse-related issues and unemployment.

At times, people would need permanent rental help and services to be stable. However, the most vulnerable groups in Imperial Valley might not enjoy these. For the most vulnerable in the region, longer-term supportive housing can end homelessness. Since 2007, permanent supportive housing services have helped lower the number of chronically homeless by 20% (Levy, 2017). Therefore, when housing stability is improved for the chronically homeless, their health will also be enhanced.

In conclusion, the number of those living in the streets and the beaches of the Imperial Valley can be reduced. One of the best ways of attaining this is by granting them access to support services and a place they can stay. Despite the money that the local authorities have spent on tackling the homelessness menace, the solutions have always been elusive. The two practical solutions for homelessness in Imperial Valley include providing affordable housing and mobilizing community-based initiatives and programs to help provide rental and basic needs aid to the homeless. It is only by properly implementing these solutions that the issue of homelessness in Imperial Valley can be eradicated. The suggestions will work best for homeless veterans, the chronic homeless, and children, and youth.

References

Bowman, J., & Meyers, Z. (2020). In Imperial County, nonprofits struggle to serve homeless during COVID-19. KPBS Public Media. Web.

Levy, J. M. (2017). Contemporary urban planning. Routledge.

Montgomery, A. E., Szymkowiak, D., Marcus, J., Howard, P., & Culhane, D. P. (2016). Homelessness, unsheltered status, and risk factors for mortality. Public Health Reports, 131(6), 765-772. Web.

Ethnic minorities remain disproportionately over-represented in the homeless population in the United States. Despite accounting for a small portion of the national population, African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic/Latinos are the majority of the homeless in the country, representing 40%, 22%, and 3% of the homeless population, respectively (National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), 2020). For instance, 40% of African Americans are homeless despite accounting for only 13% of the national population (NAEH, 2020). In comparison, although the majority of the general population (76%), White Americans have a relatively low rate of homelessness (49%) (NAEH, 2020). Homelessness causes many negative effects on the health and overall well-being of homeless people ranging from health conditions to personal entrapment. This paper reviews existing literature on homelessness to shed more light on how it impacts the homeless in New York City.

Homeless people encounter multiple complex health issues in their lives. Research shows that the majority of this population suffers from intricate health problems such as cancer which remain unrecognized in the United States (Biedrzycki, 2018). In addition, people without permanent housing are very vulnerable to many other acute and chronic illnesses such as cold injury, cardiovascular diseases, tuberculosis, skin conditions, and HIV/AIDS (Stenius-Ayoade et al., 2017; Klop et al., 2018). They also report myriad physical, psychological, and mental health problems such as stress, depression, and sleep deprivation nutritional deficiencies (Stenius-Ayoade et al., 2017; Lippert & Lee, 2015). Besides, this population is disproportionately vulnerable to drug and alcohol dependency, violence (both physical and sexual), and mortality (Stanley et al., 2016; Klop et al., 2018). The research of Stanley et al. (2016) on the experiences of the unsheltered people in Maryland between 2003 and 2011, indicated high number of violence deaths within this population. Roncarati et al. (2018) document a similar trend showing high death rates among unhoused adults in Bolton, Massachusetts. High deaths rates within this population has been attributed to multiple factors including physical and sexual assault, drug and substance addition, and poor health (Stanley et al., 2016; Roncarati et al., 2018). Klop et al. (2018) point out that homeless people often experience negative emotions and feelings such as isolation, loneliness, and alienation which increase the risk of alcohol and substance dependence, multiple health problems (physical and mental), and involvement with criminal behaviors such as theft, murder, and kidnapping. Therefore, homelessness contributes to complex and chronic comorbidities which compromise their health and overall well-being.

Lack of attention to homeless people contributes to the high incidence of the complex physical, psychosocial, and mental health problems within this group. Existing research shows that these health issues are caused and exacerbated by lack of access to adequate quality health services and hospitals (De Veer et al., 2018). Klop et al. (2018) found that both unsheltered people and healthcare providers face many barriers to accessing and providing care that match and fulfill the unique needs and concerns of unsheltered people. Larkin et al. (2019) opine that the homeless do not have access to better care and depend heavily on the sheltered environment. In addition to lack of adequate attention from healthcare providers and their family members, homeless people have limited access to other necessities such as food, shelter, water and security which expose them to multiple physical, psychological, and mental problems (Roncarati et al., 2018). As a result of being unable to meet their basic needs, homeless people become heavily dependent on transitional and long-term housing assistance. Therefore, homelessness compromises their ability to care for themselves, consequently exposing them to many complex health issues.

References

Biedrzycki, B. (2018). Homeless With Cancer: An unrecognized problem in the United States. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 22(6).

De Veer, A. J., Stringer, B., Van Meijel, B., Verkaik, R., & Francke, A. L. (2018). Access to palliative care for homeless people: complex lives, complex care. BMC palliative care, 17(1), 119.

Klop, H. T., De Veer, A. J., Van Dongen, S. I., Francke, A. L., Rietjens, J. A., & Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. D. (2018). Palliative care for homeless people: a systematic review of the concerns, care needs and preferences, and the barriers and facilitators for providing palliative care. BMC palliative care, 17(1), 67.

Larkin, H., Aykanian, A., & Streeter, C. L. (2019). Homelessness prevention and intervention in social work. Springer International Publishing.

Lippert, A. M., & Lee, B. A. (2015). Stress, coping, and mental health differences among homeless people. Sociological Inquiry, 85(3), 343-374.

National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2020). The state of homelessness in America. End Homelessness Organization. Web.

Roncarati, J. S., Baggett, T. P., OConnell, J. J., Hwang, S. W., Cook, E. F., Krieger, N., & Sorensen, G. (2018). Mortality among unsheltered homeless adults in Boston, Massachusetts, 2000-2009. JAMA internal medicine, 178(9), 1242-1248.

Stanley, J. L., Jansson, A. V., Akinyemi, A. A., & Mitchell, C. S. (2016). Characteristics of violent deaths among homeless people in Maryland, 20032011. American journal of preventive medicine, 51(5), S260-S266.

Stenius-Ayoade, A., Haaramo, P., Kautiainen, H., Gissler, M., Wahlbeck, K., & Eriksson, J. G. (2017). Mortality and causes of death among homeless in Finland: a 10-year follow-up study. J Epidemiol Community Health, 71(9), 841-848.

Abstract

This essay demonstrates the rise of Gardner from homelessness to richness using various psychological theories. These theories offer alternative explanations on crime and influencing factors.

Gardners Rise from Homelessness to Financial Success and Current Status

Chris Gardner is currently an investor, writer, philanthropist, actor and a motivational speaker who spends about 200 days every year traveling across the globe to deliver speeches (Gordon, 2016).

Christopher Paul Gardner was born on February 9, 1954 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His early life was characterized by neediness, deprivation, abusive home environment, alcohol addiction, sexual abuse and lack of education in the family. Gardner shared his personal history out of a yearning to reveal insights into these all-inclusive issues and demonstrate that one can always overcome hardship and attain greater success. A single mother, Bettye Jean Triplett, raised Gardner, instilled solid spiritual genetics and taught him to set his goals and attain them irrespective of his childhood environment (Gordon, 2016).

Although Gardner got an opportunity as an apprentice at DW R  a stockbrokerage firm, he became homeless when his meager pay could not sustain his life (Gordon, 2016). Nonetheless, Gardner worked at Bear Stearns and Co from 1983-1987 where he became the best performing employee. He later went ahead to set up his firm at home, Gardner Rich in Chicago in 1987, with just $10,000. The brokerage firm, Gardner Rich LLC, now specializes in handling public pension funds and TH plans (Gordon, 2016). Today, the firm has introduced other underwriting services, including services to worldwide markets using both standard and ADR shape (Gordon, 2016).

Gardners Experience (Difficulties and Successes): Theories

Gardner difficult experiences can be explained through deprivation, which refers to unmet need due to a lack of resources. As previously indicated, Gardners life was characterized by difficulties and deprivation, culminating to homeless. However, based on social control theory, Gardner avoided breaking the law. Social control theory suggests that individuals connections, duties, qualities, commitments, and convictions protect them from breaking the law and developing criminal tendencies. In the case of Gardner, strong spiritual genetics instilled by his mother could have played a critical role in shaping his behavior. In this manner, Gardner was able to internalize moral codes and subsequently, perhaps intentionally constrained his inclination to crime. This theory tries to explain how it is possible to lessen the probability of individuals becoming criminals in deprived environments.

Gardner was able to be successful because of his social circle and stronger ties with the mother who must have taught him what is wrong, immoral, illegal, and what is right and acceptable. In the absence of stronger controlling influences, however, Gardner perhaps could have turned to crime.

Gardners Background, Environment, and Life Improvement: Interest for a Social Control Theorist

The most interesting piece of information for any social control theorist would be Gardners background and family relations. Gardner did not get to meet his father. Raised by a single mother, discipline and spiritual genetics, played critical roles in shaping his formative years. Family relations  attachment to the mother, could have influenced choices of peers during teenage years. Consequently, a social control theorist would get insights on norms, beliefs, values, rewards or punishment that influenced the young Gardner (Williams & McShane, 2014).

A social control theorist would be interested to understand how indirect social control could have aided in shaping Gardners behavior. Gardner must have identified by individuals who influenced behavior. Moreover, it was also possible that Gardner learned early that any act of crime or delinquent behavior could have resulted in pain and disappointment to his mother with whom he had a close relationship, a single parent in a deprived neighbourhood. Social control theory posits that teenagers could be directly controlled through limitations administered by parents or guardians, restricting any opportunities for unaccepted behaviors, and in addition through parental disciplines and rewards. Nevertheless, youth might be obliged when not under immediate control by their expectation of parental dissatisfaction, which is indirect control, or by developing conscience, which is an internal motivation to restrict behaviors to acceptable ones. The family is imperative in social control theory because it acts as the source of control for youth.

Social Control Mechanisms Gardner Might Have encountered in Early Life

Social control mechanisms, such as church/religion, schools, family, rules, norms, beliefs, and peers, could have aided Gardners behavior later in life. These means of social control show attempts to maintain normalcy in society. To some extent, some have functioned independently and viewed as attempts by society to manage itself. However, social control mechanisms presently target individuals to ensure that they conform to norms of society. They strive to create social order and deter unwanted behaviors. Gardner might have faced both formal and informal means of social control. By instilling norms and values in Gardner at a tender age, Gardner was able to socialize using informal control mechanisms to develop his behavioral possibilities of significantly wide range and perfect specific behavior standards for subsequent progress in society (behaviors driven by desires to find a lucrative and fulfilling career in finance). As such, Gardner was able to rise from homelessness to richness.

Additionally, formal methods of social control, particularly school, church, laws and regulations must have played vital roles in creating environments that restricted chaos in the life of Gardner. In short, regulations tend to be formal, and they are formulated to restrict unwanted behaviors. Hence, family, social circles, school, church, law among others could have reinforced positive social attributes in Gardner, who opted to hard work for success.

Frustrated Gardner, a Career of Crime, and Criminology Theories

It is imperative to recognize that Gardner was raised in an environment that could easily facilitate a career of crime. While many criminology theories exist, they do not defend crimes. Instead, they provide alternatives on how criminal behaviors can be explored and understood. Had Gardner opted for a career of crime, then differential association theory could have been applied to explain his deviant behavior. In this case, an act is defined as right or wrong. Learning techniques could have ensured that Gardner would be able to commit crime (Contreras, 2012; Siegel, 2016). At the same time, Gardner could have learned definitions of crime that encourage him to break the law. Hence, this theory posits that one must learn deviant behavior before they can engage in unlawful acts. If Gardner could have been exposed and interacted with criminals, then he was most likely to learn behaviors that defy the law. Additionally, social learning theory explains the notion that behavior is a function of past and present occurrences in ones life. The exigencies of support and discipline (aversive stimuli) influence the recurrence of a specific conduct is enhanced or dropped. In this instance, six fundamental standards apply: positive and negative reinforcement; positive and negative punishment; discriminative stimuli, and schedules (Williams & McShane, 2014). These fundamental aspects of explaining delinquent behaviors could have been applied for Gardners life.

References

Contreras, R. (2012). The stickup kids: Race, drugs, violence, and the American dream. London, UK: University of California Press.

Gordon, D. (2016). Chris Gardner: The homeless man who became a multi-millionaire investor. Web.

Siegel, L. J. (2016). Criminology: The Core (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Williams, F. P., & McShane, M. D. (2014). Criminological Theory (6th ed.). London, UK: Pearson.

Extraordinary high homelessness rates in California have represented a serious social issue in California since the 19^th century. The rapidly growing economy of the Golden State has attracted millions of people since then, and many of them have had to experience numerous hardships connected to purchasing a house or renting one. Various factors influence the horrifying homelessness rates, including the problems with providing treatment to people suffering from mental illnesses and substance abuse. Nevertheless, unaffordable real estate continues to be the main reason behind a plethora of social problems statewide. Therefore, I strongly believe that the state of California should seriously reconsider some of its housing policies, allocate more resources to affordable housing programs and simplify the registration process.

It is time California officials realized that high immigration rates have always been a distinctive feature of the state. Therefore, various policies are to be developed and established to enhance the construction and registration processes. According to Ohanian (2021), the median California house price reached $700,000 in 2021. Despite the fact that the wages are higher in the Golden State than in most states, the sum is still unaffordable.

The encouragement of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit development has proven to successfully address the issue. Nevertheless, according to Reid (2019), residents barriers to opportunity are driven not necessarily by neighborhood factors but rather by the lack of a ladder in labor and housing markets. Therefore, state officials should examine the successful cases of European countries dealing with the same problem. According to Furth and Gonzalez (2019), California officials should alleviate the regulatory burden on the housing supply in California. Thus, easier access to affordable housing will be granted to millions of people without the need to increase public spending.

Housing has always been referred to as one of the basic human needs. Therefore, it is important to provide all Californian community members with a social security net that ensures affordable housing. Establishing a framework for providing such guarantees is absolutely necessary, even if it needs substantial state funding. The problem of homelessness and unaffordable housing in California is complex and needs to be addressed by various techniques with a primary focus on fighting inequality and discrimination in various spheres of life.

References

Furth, S., & Gonzalez, O. (2019). California zoning: Housing construction and a new ranking of local land use regulation. Mercatus Research Paper. Web.

Ohanian, L. E. (2021). Common-sense policy reforms for California housing. Cato Institute, Policy Analysis, 920. Web.

Reid, C. K. (2019). Rethinking opportunity in the siting of affordable housing in California: Resident perspectives on the low-income housing tax credit. Housing Policy Debate, 29(4), 645669. Web.