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The Critical Moral Dimension
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18787 |
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CURRENT ISSUES
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| Issue
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12 / 1991 |
2,389 Words |
| Author
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Gerald Campbell
Gerald Campbell is president of Impact Group, specialists in
community-based programs. |
There are few in America who have not had occasion to witness within their communities some aspect of the plight of the homeless. Men and women going to and from work, children on their way to school, consumers at shopping centers, individuals going to health clubs, movies, or attending places of worship--all have been increasingly unable to disavow the presence of the tens of thousands of homeless persons standing in food lines, scattered about public parks, sleeping on public benches, or panhandling on public sidewalks.
To be sure, there have always existed those who--for whatever reason--have lived outside the system. In recent years, however, the number of homeless persons has grown into a major spectacle striking deep into the national consciousness. A recent survey of 30 cities by the U.S. conference of Mayors reports that over 90 percent of them had to contend with a 22 percent average yearly increase in the demand for emergency shelter over the past six consecutive years. During the same period, 66 percent of these cities were able to satisfy only 80 percent of the demand for emergency shelter, and 97 percent of them anticipated that this need would continue to grow in 1991. Only Washington D.C.--which has increased its support of prevention services and the rehabilitation of public housing--expected that the number of homeless persons seeking emergency shelter would decline, although this remains to be seen.
In general, Americans have been generous in their support for public and private efforts to alleviate the problems of the homeless. Across the nation, spokesmen have emerged. Their personal inspiration and leadership have mobilized the collective action of tens of thousands of concerned citizens--and a vast array of charitable organizations--into a nationwide struggle to secure social justice for the homeless. Government support at the federal, state, and local levels has also been forthcoming, although some might argue that it has been insufficient.
Despite this considerable effort, the numbers of homeless persons continue to grow at an alarming and increasingly uncomfortable rate. Unemployment among them remains high, and even when they are employed, their wages are generally inadequate to meet the high cost of food and shelter. Alcohol and drug rehabilitation facilities remain in short supply and those who receive treatment suffer from a recidivism rate as high as 90 percent during the first year. New mental-health facilities are in great demand, and the quality of existing services in generally inadequate. Sadly enough, no solution to the problem of the homeless seems to be on the horizon, leaving
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