Introduction
I am writing to bring to your attention the increasing homelessness within the county. In such a developed country, homelessness is not only a county disgrace but also a national one. It can be termed as a metaphor and symptom because, at one point, it can be blamed on population carelessness, and, on the other hand, there is something very wrong with the governance within the county. Increased prevalence of homelessness does not only show some level of irresponsibility but also provokes shame, remorse, guilt, outrage, anger, and, most importantly, a devastating sense of helplessness. A significant number of social workers have rolled out numerous programs aimed at alleviating the issue like meal and medication plans by volunteering. However, they often discontinue these services due to being faced with a sense of helplessness and financial restrain, with increasing homeless families and individuals. Besides, every corner has a homeless family, so the caregivers are continually getting used to it and taking it as the new normal. The prevalence of homelessness in the county has made the people accept it as an inevitable part of society. Every hour, someone is stepping over or around a pile of rags, makeshifts, and shaft grate, but we are too preoccupied even to to look at what is inside the lags. The people within the county no longer consider the population living in the streets as humans but as lazy outcasts. Homelessness is a public issue because lacking something to feed will resort to crime, drug abuse, antisocial behaviors, and increased cases of coronavirus, which will be a threat to public health and security.
Importance of Conducting Research on Homelessness
Homelessness is not only a county issue but a global issue. Based on national reports of various countries, about two percent of the worldwide populace may be homeless. An additional 20 percent (Chamie, 2017) lacks adequate housing. These numbers come with a caveat, as obtaining the actual number is challenging. One of the reasons why there is this variation is the associated costs, differences in methodology, and definition of homelessness. The last time a global survey was conducted is 2005 by the United Nations (Chamie, 2017). U.N. projected that about 100 million people were without basic shelter globally. Additionally, the report indicated that about 1.6 billion individuals lacked suitable housing (Chamie, 2017). Counties, and cities, undercount the cases due to embarrassment, the fear of public reaction, shame, and fear of harassment should the actual figures be released. This will form one of the primary reasons research on homelessness should be conducted by an independent body, to determine the actual numbers for proper planning.
The numbers in the United States are staggering with data from a recent survey indicating that about 600,000 individuals experienced homelessness by the year 2016 (Megison, 2016). A further report by the State of Homelessness in America suggests that an estimated 40 percent of the homeless population had families with children (Megison, 2016). A report by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Census asserts that about two million infants go to sleep without a shelter annually. The distribution per county is, however, vague based on various reasons cited above. Thus, our county needs to have the actual number of homeless individuals and families to understand why it is increasing rapidly and how the social workers can be empowered to provide essential services such as medication and meals.
The other reason why attention needs to be taken on the increasing numbers is so that the government and society may get involved in making a difference in the homeless people's lives through the various recommendations that the study will provide. Homelessness leads to trauma among the children and youths, affecting their relationships, risking their health, and hampering development. A mere observation within the county would show a population that is emotionally distressed, extremely poor, unstable, and a ticking time bomb to more pronounced problems such as violence, sexual exploitation, increased infection of STIs, and infectious conditions such as COVID-19. The report will indicate all of the issues these groups are facing, propose numerous preventable solutions, and submit rough estimates that the county will require to flatten the curve and eventually eradicate homelessness.
Science Method
When conducting the research, it is essential to use a scientific method to gather measurable and empirical evidence in an examination related to the hypothesis and the results that will support my theory (Bradford, 2017). It will encompass collecting data and interviewing. To be able to do so, it is essential to identify the possible research questions and generate all the possible answers in the form of a hypothesis coupled with a creative process (Odom et al., 2005). This will be followed by a careful process, starting with making a more informed observation. I will then ask all the research questions about the observations and collect information. This will be followed by a hypothesis with a tentative description of all the observations and make informed predictions based on the developed theory. The thesis will be tested, and all the predictions will be reproduced within the experimentation (Andersen & Hepburn, 2015). An analysis of the data will follow to make conclusions from which hypothesis will be accepted, rejected, or modified (Ozhan Caparlar & Donmez, 2016). In case of discrepancy absence, between the observation, and the theory, I will provide detailed list of recommendations from which reproduction of the study will follow.
Failure to follow the above method will lead to bias and prejudice to the experimentation (Mendel, 2008). Additionally, if the process if not followed, there is a chance that the research will be slower, and the elongated process meaning that any new idea will be sidelined or proven useless. Not following the process means that in case of any error, tracking the same for correction will be tedious, and chances are, it will not be noticed. Lastly, time and mistakes will make the research more expensive.
