Homelessness is one of the most compelling social problems in the United States. Dating from the early years in Colonial America to the current problems relating to homeless women and children, homelessness has been the topic of discussion of scholars, social activists, and policy makers. Many types of social problems are linked to homelessness, including poverty, substance abuse, foster care, and crime. As a result, unpacking the issues has proven to be a challenge for anyone interested in this topic. Homelessness in America offers an assessment of what is known about each segment of the homeless population, which contrary to conventional belief, is comprised of a wide variety of faces from many backgrounds. It explains linkages to other social issues and provides a balanced overview of homelessness in light of the varying perspectives on the topic.
While much of what has been written about homelessness has come from the academic perspective, agendas often interfere with an accurate understanding of the problem. Clearly, there is a place for other types of perspectives, including those that view homelessness through political and legal lenses. These groups have provided us with a robust body of information within which we may better understand the questions relating to homelessness. McNamara has brought together the voices of these groups in order to reveal the numerous political, economic, and social constraints that beset current attempts to solve homelessness. In addition, the commonly held belief that homelessness is a result of laziness or a poor work ethic is turned on its head to reveal that homelessness is truly a multifaceted and complex issue.

Robert Hartmann McNamara is Associate Professor of Political Science and Criminal Justice at the Citadel. He is the author of several books. McNamara has served as a Senior Research Fellow for the National Strategy Information Center, the Policy Lab, the Police Executive Research Forum in Washington, D.C., and the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Baltimore, MD.

Volume 1: Faces of Homelessness
Preface Robert Hartmann McNamara
Chapter One: Measuring Progress and Tracking Trends in Homelessness Mary Cunningham and Meghan Henry
Chapter Two: Go Out and Find a Job: Public Policy and Homeless Men Joel Blau
Chapter Three: Sight Unseen: The Neglected Problem of Rural Homelessness Barbara S. Hodas and Diana T. Myers
Chapter Four: Shelter Life for Homeless Men: Risk or Respite?
Amy M. Donley and James D. Wright
Chapter Five: Homelessness and Veterans: Untangling the Connection Catherine E. Burton and Kelly James
Chapter Six: The History of Homeless Women in America Robert Hartmann McNamara and Carrie Flagler Whitney
Chapter Seven: Family Homelessness in Our Nation and Community: A Problem with a Solution The National Alliance to End Homelessness
Chapter Eight: Homeless Women with Children in Shelters
:The Institutionalization of Family Life Kathryn Feltey and Laura Nichols
Chapter Nine: Foster Care and Homelessness: Preventative Measures to Help Youth Who Are Aging Out of Foster Care Jaimie Page
Chapter Ten: Shadow Kids: Runaway and Homeless Youth in the United States Robert Hartmann McNamara
Chapter Eleven: Health and Human Rights of Homeless Youth Josephine Ensign
Chapter Twelve: Elderly Homelessness: A Growing Concern James D. Wright, Amy Donley, and Tracy L. Dietz
Chapter Thirteen: African American Males and Homelessness: Voices from the Shelter Daniel White and Charles Crawford
Chapter Fourteen: Latinos, Immigrants, and Homelessness Ann M. Aviles
Volume 2: Causes of Homelessness
Preface Robert Hartmann McNamara
Chapter One: Chronic Homelessness: Portraits on the Streets Emily Spence-Almaguer, James Petrovich, and Jaimie Page
Chapter Two: Housing Policy, the Low-Income Housing Crisis, and the Problem of Homelessness James D. Wright, Amy M. Donley, and Kevin F. Gotham
Chapter Three: Helping Children and Families Rebuild Their Lives after Katrina Olivia Golden and Joanna Parnes
Chapter Four: Domestic Violence and Housing Instability: Homeless Women Jean Calterone Williams
Chapter Five: Homelessness and Crack Use: A Case Study in Historical, Environmental, and Social Context Stephanie Hartwell
Chapter Six: Flyin High, Livin Low: Alcohol and Homelessness
Maria Shelley
Chapter Seven: Substance Use and Homelessness Suzanne Zerger
Chapter Eight: Deinstitutionalization and the Homeless Mentally Ill Patrick Kinkade
Chapter Nine: Homelessness and HIV/AIDS Virginia Shubert and Nancy Bernstine
Chapter Ten: Taking Stock: Housing, Homelessness, and Prisoner Reentry Caterina Gouvis Roman and Jeremy Travis
Volume 3: Solutions to Homelessness
Preface Robert Hartmann McNamara
Chapter One: Promising Strategies to End Homelessness
Mary Cunningham, Sharon McDonald, and Norm Suchar
Chapter Two: A Shelter Is Not a Home . . . Or Is It? New Communities of Opportunity Ralph da Costa Nunez
Chapter Three: Policing Homelessness Chip Burns
Chapter Four: The Criminalization of Homelessness Charles Crawford
Chapter Five: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times: Reflections of a Service Provider Michael Chesser
Chapter Six: Cleaning Up the Streets: Community Efforts to Combat Homelessness by Criminalizing Homeless Behaviors Amy M. Donley and James D. Wright
Chapter Seven: The Future of Homelessness: Trends in Assessment and Service Utilization James Petrovich and Emily Spence-Almaguer
Chapter Eight: The Evolution of Homelessness: Trends and Future Directions Maria Foscarinis
Chapter Nine: Law and Order? A Reality for the Homeless: The Legal Ramifications of Court Decisions on the Treatment of Homeless Persons Amy Presley Hauser
Chapter Ten: The History and Future of Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) Stephen R. Poulin, Stephen Metraux, and Dennis P. Culhane
About the Editor and Contributors