Describes the effects of growing up in shelters and welfare hotels. Discusses coping strategies that children have developed to adapt to the stresses of homelessness. (PCB)

Describes the lives of street children in two South American cities. Explains the mores, sanctions, and values of the society in which these children live. (PCB)

Psychological characteristics of 56 male Colombian street children, aged 7 to 16, were examined using participant observations and results of psychological testing. Results showed the children to be relatively healthy, intelligent, and emotionally intact. An attempt is made to understand these relatively good scores in a cultural context.…

An exploratory study of 192 homeless shelters in 29 cities used structural equation analysis to analyze characteristics of organizational and service delivery systems. The resulting model showed that services offered by the shelters are best understood as being influenced by organizational structure mediated through the organization's relationship…

An implementation analysis conducted as part of a two-year study of residential and nonresidential treatment programs for the dually diagnosed (psychiatric illness and substance abuse disorders) homeless (n=276) found significant differences in client engagement and retention and variations in treatment conditions. (SLD)

Describes Connections, a federally funded outreach program designed to help San Antonio children whose families have lost their homes and are crowded into dwellings with friends or relatives. Connections tries to identify these kids, bolster their school work, and provide stability through an afterschool club, where teachers tutor them and provide…

Describes the reasoning behind and services provided at the Thomas J. Pappas regional education center in Phoenix, Arizona, a magnet school for homeless students from all over the Phoenix area. Notes that the center provides some stability and extensive support to students. (SR)

Reviews six new books that look at why some reforms succeed and other fail. (MLF)

The United States has about 225,000 to 500,000 homeless children. In 1987, Congress passed a comprehensive law to provide emergency and long-term assistance for homeless persons. Under the Stewart B. McKinney Act, states receive funding to investigate homeless children's needs, identify education obstacles, and develop plans to overcome them. Tips…

Presents a formerly homeless man's account of his experiences in the Boston Public Library. The Kreimer v. Morristown case is briefly discussed; the author's use of the library while he was homeless is described, including patron reactions; and the employed author's reactions to a homeless patron are related. (LRW)

Research strategies, including types of evaluations, designs, and indicators, developed to assess programs for chronic alcoholics and mentally ill homeless people in Canada are reviewed. Findings from previous evaluations are summarized, and the implications for evaluation practice are considered. (SLD)

Introduces an issue on the causes, consequences, and social response to homelessness, with contributions by scholars in anthropology, history, medicine, sociology, economics, public administration, law, and psychology. Much attention has been given to the problems of homeless individuals; this issue attempts a comprehensive overview of the…

Interviews in Minneapolis with 113 newly homeless and 338 more chronically homeless persons on 2 occasions 6 months apart revealed a pattern of intermittent homelessness, reflecting the demography, weather, and welfare system of that city. Recommends further study along these lines and provision of more permanent exits from homelessness. (DM)

Studied 40 adolescent runaways and 95 homeless women to examine impact of early sexual abuse on prostitution and victimization. Findings suggest that early sexual abuse increases probability of involvement in prostitution irrespective of influence of running away, substance abuse, and other deviant acts; only indirectly affects chances of…

Compared homelessness among persons in a metropolitan setting based on whether or not the person had migrated from a rural area. Found that those from rural areas had a lower level of educational achievement, experienced a higher degree of isolation from families, and frequently had come to the urban area seeking jobs. (KS)