Street Crime Victimization of Homeless Women and Children
This paper examines street crime victimization among homeless women and children in the United States, a population disproportionately affected by domestic violence, drugs and alcohol abuse, and other socioeconomic factors. Drawing on existing victimology literature, the paper reviews the frequency and nature of violent crimes experienced by homeless individuals, with particular attention to physical and sexual victimization of women and youth. The paper concludes with policy recommendations aimed at reducing vulnerability, including changes to the social environment of homeless populations, improvements to housing programs, and coordinated efforts among law enforcement, social workers, and policymakers to provide safer conditions for victims of domestic violence.
- Introduction: Frames homelessness as a criminal justice policy issue
- Importance of the Issue: Statistics on homeless victimization, women, and children
- Frequency of Victimization: Domestic violence and substance abuse as key drivers
- Existing Literature on Victimology: Scholarly evidence on physical and sexual victimization rates
- Discussion and Policy Recommendations: Strategies to reduce vulnerability and improve housing
- Conclusion: Summary of findings and call for stakeholder collaboration
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its claims in specific, cited statistics — such as the 49% violent crime victimization rate and the 80% figure for mothers with children fleeing domestic violence — which adds credibility and specificity to its argument.
- It moves logically from defining the problem and reviewing the literature to offering concrete, actionable policy recommendations, giving the paper a clear practical orientation.
- The synthesis of multiple sources (Stanley et al., Tyler & Beal, Ellsworth, Turner et al.) across the literature review section demonstrates engagement with a range of scholarly perspectives.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper effectively uses literature synthesis to build an evidence base before moving to recommendations. Rather than relying on a single source, it triangulates findings from multiple peer-reviewed studies and government reports to establish patterns of victimization, lending stronger support to its policy conclusions.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief introduction framing homelessness as a policy and criminal justice issue. It then presents statistical context on the scope of the problem, followed by a focused review of victimology literature. The discussion section translates that evidence into tiered policy recommendations — addressing social environment, housing, and domestic violence supports — before a summary conclusion. This structure mirrors a standard research-to-policy argument format appropriate for undergraduate social work or criminal justice courses.
Introduction
Homelessness is an issue that has persisted in the United States because of ever-changing demographic factors and economic circumstances. The composition and size of the homeless population in the United States continue to change due to these varying factors. Over the past decade, homelessness has attracted public attention given the dramatic increase in the number and diversity of those affected. While numerous efforts have been undertaken to address the issue, homelessness remains a major problem for policymakers and the public alike. An important element in dealing with homelessness is understanding victimization and its contributing factors. Through understanding victimization, policymakers and other stakeholders can develop suitable policies and approaches to address the problem. This paper explores street crime victimization of homeless women and children.
Importance of the Issue
According to Stanley et al. (2016), homelessness is an ongoing problem facing the United States as the size of the homeless population continues to increase dramatically. This population is vulnerable to various issues including high morbidity and mortality rates, poor health conditions, stigmatization, and criminal victimization. Recent studies have shown that approximately 49% of homeless people have been victims of violent crimes, while 62% have witnessed violent attacks on another homeless individual (Stanley et al., 2016). Addressing the plight of homeless people is therefore a major public policy issue, particularly in the fields of criminal justice and social work. Policymakers and other relevant stakeholders face the need to develop suitable policies and approaches to address this ongoing problem.
Existing statistics demonstrate that women and children are the most affected groups. Women and children are more likely to become homeless than men. For example, in 2015, more than 31,500 adults and children fled their homes to seek refuge in homeless shelters and other locations because of domestic violence (Family & Youth Services Bureau, 2016). Of these adults fleeing their homes, 80% were mothers with children. Domestic violence accounts for 30% of contributing factors to homelessness among women and children. Bendix (2019) states that homeless populations have increased in more than ten states over the past decade. States with the highest homeless populations include Washington, DC, New York, and Hawaii. While some states have witnessed more than a 35% increase in the number of homeless people, others have seen increases of around 23%. In all of these states, women and children account for a significant portion of homeless populations, representing a deepening crisis across the country (Bachega, 2018).
Frequency of Victimization
Women and children are likely to become homeless because of domestic violence, which accounts for 30% of all contributing factors (Family & Youth Services Bureau, 2016). In addition, homelessness is more likely to occur in families where key members suffer from drug and alcohol abuse or have disabilities. Homeless women and children are often subjected to street crime and violence that contribute to adverse health effects and generate significant challenges for law enforcement agencies (Ellsworth, 2018).
Existing Literature on Victimology
Turner, Funge, and Gabbard (2018) contend that homeless people are increasingly susceptible to victimization. Numerous acts of violence and street crime against homeless people have been reported across the country, and in some cases these acts have resulted in fatalities. Stanley et al. (2016) concur, arguing that homeless people are increasingly subjected to violence and other forms of crime when living on the streets and in homeless shelters. Homeless people experience adverse health events and problems as a result of the violence they encounter. Violence among homeless people — including physical and sexual violence — has increased tremendously in recent years (Stanley et al., 2016).
According to Tyler and Beal (2010), between one-third and one-half of homeless youth have been subjected to physical or sexual victimization. Women and children, who account for a significant portion of this population, are especially frequent targets of physical and sexual abuse. Ellsworth (2018) concurs, stating that homeless people are subjected to varying rates of common crime including robbery, assault, and theft. This has in turn increased street crime victimization among this population.
Conclusion
The issue of homelessness is an ongoing problem in the United States, exacerbated by the dramatic increase in the size and composition of homeless populations. As shown in this analysis, women and children are the most affected populations, while domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse are the major contributing factors. Homeless women and children continue to be targets of street crime victimization and violence that result in adverse health outcomes. The high rates of street crime victimization experienced by these populations can be addressed through concerted efforts among various stakeholders, including policymakers, law enforcement personnel, and social workers. These efforts should entail changes to the social environment of homeless people, improvements to the current housing system, and policy changes to provide safe homes for victims of domestic violence. The multi-faceted nature of this problem requires the involvement of different stakeholders working together toward a resolution.
References
Bachega, H. (2018, October 8). Homeless in US: A deepening crisis on the streets of America. BBC. Retrieved November 22, 2019, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45442596
Bendix, A. (2019, November 18). The 9 states with the worst homelessness crises reveal how bad the housing crunch has gotten in US cities. Business Insider. Retrieved November 22, 2019, from https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-homelessness-states-worst-crises-2018-11?IR=T
Ellsworth, J. T. (2018). Street crime victimization among homeless adults: A review of the literature. Victims & Offenders: An International Journal of Evidence-based Research, Policy and Practice, 14(1), 96–118.
Family & Youth Services Bureau. (2016, June 24). Domestic violence and homelessness: Statistics (2016). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/fysb/resource/dv-homelessness-stats-2016
Norris, S. (2019, September 9). Women fleeing abuse are being 're-traumatized' by the housing system. CityMetric. Retrieved November 22, 2019, from https://www.citymetric.com/politics/women-fleeing-abuse-are-being-re-traumatised-housing-system-4769
Stanley, J. L., Jansson, A. V., Akinyemi, A. A., & Mitchell, C. S. (2016). Characteristics of violent deaths among homeless people in Maryland, 2003–2011. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 51(5), S260–S266.
Turner, M. M., Funge, S. P., & Gabbard, W. J. (2018). Victimization of the homeless: Perceptions, policies, and implications for social work practice. Journal of Social Work in the Global Community, 3(1), 1–12.
Tyler, K. A., & Beal, M. R. (2010). The high-risk environment of homeless young adults: Consequences for physical and sexual victimization. Violence and Victims, 25(1), 101–115.
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