Summary Response Essay Essay, Research Paper

It is apparent that a major problem in society is the increasing number of homeless people in our major cities. It is a common belief by some journalists and politicians that the amount of homeless people in the U.S. may be caused by the release of a large amount of deinstitutionalized mental patients in the 1970’s. The reason behind the release, it seems, is that a newly proposed policy would give the former patients treatment from local community based centers. This project failed because the treatment centers were never built. Some people deny this to be a valid reason, especially those who work with the homeless. Most people who express alternate views believe it is an economic and social problem, rather than a psychiatric one.

While the government provides some financial support towards homeless shelters, funds have dropped from $30 billion in 1980 to $25,000 by 1989. This fact along with a survey by the MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SOCIETY shows that most frequent illnesses among homeless are non-mental, and only 13% of the sicknesses are neurological. It seems clear that a direct psychiatric cause is not a valid argument or a real solution to this problem but rather an indirect manifestation of the lack of care and support. Along with this lack of funds comes a lack of social responsibility towards the homeless. While a few shelters are currently available, many homeless people with various health problems are denied treatment. As we hear the politicians tell us that “no one will be turned away ” or just “horror stories” and that these situations don’t exist we need to look at the hundreds of mothers who are turned away each year.

The author seems to be writing an argument directed towards a middleclass audience concerning homelessness, in American society. While he is apparently informing a group he sometime refers to the audience as “we”, implying that he is a member of this group. The author gives the impression that he has done much research in this area with supporting facts and data, but he offers no real credentials that qualify him for such an argument. There is a very obvious reason for the issue brought to attention, homelessness has been in our society for decades and is a continuing problem. The main thesis being argued is that the “failed policy ‘i.e. to release mental patients and provide them with local treatment facilities’, and the subsequent failure of society to build treatment centers or provide them in a sufficient number , is the primary cause of homelessness in the United States.” Kozol states many facts about the number of growing problems concerning homelessness. The stated thesis is supported many times throughout the essay.

As we can see the proposed policy for local treatment was a failure. The treatment centers were never built or to few were built. Another reason and probably the most real problem is the lack of support from society. The data from surveys show that many pregnant homeless women are denied by shelters each season, along with many people with serious health problems such as; upper respiratory, and limb disorders, skin disease, trauma and mental illness. As these shelters turn down hundreds of people it creates a social stigma which leaves them in despair.

This essay was very affective in explaining the problem of homelessness and how many people it can affect. However, I think it had a very narrow view on what to do to fix it. Kozol has no problem finding what’s wrong with the system, but he offers no ideas on how to fix it. I feel that to present an effective argument, you must offer some sort of solution or suggestion to solve the problem. The author fails to do this

In my opinion this essay was impotent. There were many instances where Kozol had a chance to offer a solution. He criticizes the shelters that turn people away, and the amount of funding the government has for low income housing, but again he has no solution or even an idea. This essay was very affective in explaining the problem of homelessness and how many people it can affect. However, I think it had a very narrow view on what to do to fix it.