Mental Illness and Homelessness - Free Report Example

Introduction

Mental illness and homelessness are closely related, as struggling with one condition trigger the other one. According to Lanier (2014), individuals struggling with mental illness usually have cognitive and behavioral problems making them prone to factors that can cause homeless such as poverty as they cannot earn a stable income to sustain stable housing, disaffiliation due to lack of support from family and friends as well as personal vulnerability which damage their ability to be resilient and resourceful. Similarly, homelessness causes mental illness as homeless individuals may experience anxiety, depression, fear, and, ultimately, substance use disorders.

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Combination of Factors

According to Shipley and Tempelmeyer (2012), although the exact cause of mental illness is not known, research reveals that mental illness is caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. These factors include; trauma, social isolation and stigma, poverty, unemployment, genetics, homelessness, substance abuse, and domestic violence. On the other hand, different situations can lead to homelessness such as domestic violence, mental illness; unemployment hic causes poverty (Lamb & Lamb 1990). Robinson (2019) suggests that approximately 3% of US citizens live in transitional housing, and public places not meant for human habitation.

Conclusion

Efforts to assist individuals who live in the streets by the policing department are indispensable. Various police agencies are working on trying to solve the issue of homelessness. According to Lanier (2014), although homeless individuals often break the law, police agencies are trying to offer counseling services to them instead of arresting, especially for minor offenders. Besides, police agencies partner with other organizations to source resources to help provide homes for street individuals. Police agencies are also trying to offer incentives to help people not to involve in drug abuse, which may accelerate the situation. Through the use of technology, police agencies are sharing and storing data concerning the issue of homelessness to help control more people from going to the streets.

References

Lamb, H. R., & Lamb, D. M. (1990). Factors contributing to homelessness among the chronically and severely mentally ill. Psychiatric Services, 41(3), 301-305.

Lanier, C. (2014). Critical issues in policing series: the police response to active shooter Incidents. In Police Executive Research Forum.

Robinson, T. (2019). No right to rest: Police enforcement patterns and quality of life consequences of the criminalization of homelessness. Urban affairs review, 55(1), 41-73.

Shipley, S. L., & Tempelmeyer, T. C. (2012). Reflections on homelessness, mental illness, and crime. Journal of forensic psychology practice, 12(5), 409-423.