Social Issue: Homelessness - Research Paper Example

Social Issue: Homelessness I. Identification and definition of social problem Homelessness is such a pervasive issue that it is present in almost every country and every city that discussing about the whole issue of homelessness will overwhelm this paper without interesting the audience. It is because it already very obvious that the root cause of homelessness is really just poverty – people became homeless because they do not have the money to buy house to shelter them that they may be able to call it home. It would be bearable for this paper to tackle the vast issue if it will limit the coverage to a certain area which in this case, the city of New York and discuss homelessness in new light; that is, instances where people chose to be homeless because the solution available to people is not better than being homeless than being homeless is better than the proposed solution. II. Causation of the social problem New York may pride itself as one of the wealthiest city in the world where the average income of its residents are one of the highest in the United States and even in the world (Davies). But at one time, its residents were driven to poverty and became homeless. This was the time during the Great Recession where people lost their jobs and consequently, lost their homes that they became dependent to government welfare. Even after the Great Recession, there were still poor people in New York that cannot afford to buy homes and remained homeless. The city government of New York of course responded by providing its poor citizens shelter (note I did not use home or house) as welfare benefit. This could have been a good solution because government was already providing shelters for free where the poor citizens of New York does can live even if they have no money. Yet, many left the government facilities and chose to be in the streets and became homeless. Many wondered why because the shelters that were provided by government of New York are already free and that even includes the food. Upon close examination of the issue, it was found that there were a lot of abuses in government run facilities that people could not bear that they chose to be in the streets rather than become a subject of abuse. In the streets, they still have respect for themselves while this respect for themselves is constantly violated in government facilities. Abuses in city run facilities were described as; “City-run shelters-though they provide food and respite from the elements-are dangerous and unfriendly places that impose a dehumanizing, even prisonlike, regimentation on residents. Guards routinely treat clients as inmates, allegedly denying them food for the violation of rules. Some shelter residents are abused from place to place for food, showers, and sleep. Charges of violence by shelter security guards and clients are common” (Lurie and Wodiczko 54). III. Identify and discuss the consequence of the social problem As a consequence, the poor people of New York became homeless again but this time, of their own choice. Not because they were foolish not to accept government help through welfare shelters, it is just that government run facilities are abusive and volatile of human dignity that being in the street is better. In effect, the city dwellers or poor citizens of New York were became “exiles in their own city” because they left the centers which were supposed to take care of them. Instead, they created their own makeshift shelters through “gaily decorated carts” (Lurie and Wodiczko 54) as an alternative to home and also means of transport rather than stay in the established facility of the city due to the harsh condition imposed to them by the institution that made it a penitentiary. They preferred to get by through the uncertainty of scavenging than putt up with city run shelters where foods are used as a carrot stick. This is not to glorify homelessness nor scavenging, nor the running away from government facilities but rather to stress that a meager cart that can barely accommodate a person and absent of facility and provision can become a home compared to an imposing edifice that treat its inhabitants as inmates where violence and abuses are common; that being homeless, which is a social issue, became a desirable choice. Perhaps, the inclemency of the streets and season or the precarious nature of getting provision of an unwelcoming street can become more tolerable than an unfriendly and dehumanizing institution. And a place to stay is more than the edifice or structure (Fulrts). Sociological functionalism framework for building theory sees that society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability (14). Its social functions are a consequence and result of the social pattern that the societal framework produced by the interplay of various components in society. In the case of homeless of New York, had the people who run government shelters were aware of social functionalism theory, they should have treated its residents as human beings and its valuable clients because the homeless were once tax payers where their salaries came from. From the point of view of functionalism theory, they should have strove to make the resident’s stay in government run facilities to be at least bearable. And if resources permit, the government should have made the stay of the residents in government facilities pleasant so that harmony between the citizens of New York and its citizens can be achieved whereby government has strong support from the governed which the functionalism theory of sociology is trying to achieve. The responsibility of creating a stable society may be everybody’s responsibility where each must contribute to make our society operational and stable, but government has greater responsibility because of its resources and power. If it will exercise its political will through the conscious use of its resources and power, it could make society more functional and our lives better. In this case, had the government of New York been more conscientious and aware of the benefit of functionalism theory, it would have been more compassionate and helpful in treating its residents instead of being abusive knowing that its residents are poor and vulnerable. Had the functionalism been applied in the government run shelters of New York, there may have been a change of perspective among the people who run it. Instead of seeing its residents as dependents, they would have instead taken it as a good opportunity to achieve harmony and support among its citizens by touching and making a difference in their lives when they were most vulnerable. Concretely, the government of New York would have spent more energy in empowering and helping its residents acquire skills that would make them employable and productive thereby enabling them to become less dependent to government welfare when opportunity comes than abusing them when they stayed in government facilities. Instead of seeing its residents as vulnerable people who could be abused, they would have seen it as a wonderful opportunity for public relations that indeed their government can be counted on when uncertainty strikes. The citizen in turn, will appreciate their government by giving their unwavering support making it stronger and the city of New York harmonious, peaceful, productive and ultimately stable. IV. Solution to the problem: Application of Functional Theory as a solution in the homelessness issue in New York The Functionalism Theory in sociology takes every component of society in the light of how it contributes to the stability of society as a whole (Anderson and Taylor 85). Society is a result of interplay of its many components and therefore, society is a product of its parts. These components are made of institutions and individuals which in this case, is the government of New York and its citizens whose interplay forms part of the societal life of New York. Suffice to say that each component of society is also dependent to each other even as they interact with each other. In the case of the city of New York, the city may have the power and resources to fund and run government shelters. On the surface, the government of New York may only be the superior entity but ultimately, it also needs its citizens because they are the ones who pay taxes to the government that will be used to keep it running. Applying the functional theory in the situation, it should have been incumbent upon the government of New York help the homeless of its city because they are also citizens who pay taxes to finance it. Government of New York had it adopted the functionalist perspective, will not see the vulnerability of the citizen as their sole vulnerability when they became homeless but also its own vulnerability. Those citizens who were reduced to homelessness were its taxpayers or source of income or even the goose that lays the golden eggs. That if the homeless became capable, it will be good for the government of New York because it will have more taxpayers and therefore more funds to keep it running. If it does not help its vulnerable sectors of society such as the homeless, their numbers will continue to increase and the vicious cycle will begin. The number of citizens who are capable of paying taxes will be lessened while its expense will continue to increase because the government did not empower its citizens to fend for itself. When that happens, there will be instability in New York proving that the functionalist theory of society was violated in New York in addressing its societal issue of homelessness. The solution will now be easy after citing the importance of functionalism theory and how it applies to society to make it stable. As previously discussed, it only requires a change of perspective from the government of New York and the actions will follow. Instead of seeing homelessness as the problem of its citizens, the government should also see it as its own problem because their fates are intertwined. Government is also dependent on its citizens for taxes and if its citizens became incapable as evidenced by its homelessness, it will not be long that the government will become bankrupt because it no longer has source of taxes. The solution to the problem of homelessness in New York is not only to accommodate them. It also requires treating them humanely so that they will stay in government facilities where the city government can implement intervention programs to better the lot of its residents by empowering them. Intervention programs can come in skills training that would make its residents employable with an upgraded skill or to be able put a business with government’s assistance. Through this, the homeless of New York will not become homeless forever but will eventually find a way to fend for themselves and become a productive citizen of New York that pays taxes to the government who once helped them to get back on their feet. Works Cited Anderson, M.L. and Taylor, H.F. (2009). Sociology: The Essentials. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. Davies Emily. “New York joins the ranks of the world’s most expensive cities… but spare a thought for Tokyo, the priciest on Earth for the 14th time in 20 years”. February 08, 2013. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2275710/New-York-joins-ranks-world-s-expensive-cities-But-spare-thought-Tokyo-priciest-Earth-14th-time-20-years.html#axzz2Khbpjqqs [accessed February 12, 2013] Fulrts, Brad (September 28, 2005). What is Home? http://h3h.net/philosophy/what-is-home [accessed February 12, 2012) Lurie, David V.; Wodiczko, Krzysztof, Homeless Vehicle Project (MIT Press, October 47, 1988). Macionis, J (2008). Sociology 12th Ed. Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey Read More