The Gosh Darn Homeless The homeless population throughout the United States has become a problem, not a problem that places a great burden on the country, but a problem that constantly takes away the greatest potential to our economies. According to the International Journal of Psychosocial Research, the estimated homeless population in the United States can range from 600,000 to 2.5 million. The research found that 1.37 million of the total homeless population are children under the age of 18, 40% are families with children, 41% are single males and 14% are single females. As government agencies seek to reduce and ultimately eliminate the homeless population, resources are being spent on finding out how. With multiple public grants and large amounts of money invested in resources, ever-evolving solutions present themselves. By implementing these solutions across the country, achieving a positive outcome would be the solution to a global problem. When you look at the homeless population in the United States, you notice major events repeating themselves. The four major socioeconomic factors affecting the homeless population in the United States are homeless alienation, substance abuse, government involvement, and police brutality. In America, society views homelessness as a crutch for the economy. The upper classes alienate the homeless population to excel in the economy and reduce the burden on society. People who appear to be homeless are ultimately cast aside and treated differently. Often shunned, the general populace turns away from the problem that is impacting major cities across America. To ignore a persistent problem is to be ignorant towards… middle of paper… the homeless were undeserving. The public also witnessed police regulation of drug use among the homeless, constructing stereotypical views that the homeless were criminals. Making the public weary of helping the homeless, government involvement soon became a necessary action. Programs and grants were soon implemented to provide housing and substance abuse assistance to the homeless population. It was proposed to build housing for the homeless population, but the projects were not completed. Among the government projects that included housing, there were others that introduced help for the homeless, including food and water. The homeless population is seen as a major problem, but it is not without a solution. There are many plans in place that would help stop or slow down the current homeless population, but with the overall goal set a solution can be found.