00.+Summary

Summary:

Joseph Perkins, a journalist for the San Diego Union-Tribune had wanted to see for himself whether or not the blame was to be put on economic policies for the rapidly growing amount of homeless people on the streets of America.

Throughout this investigation, he discovered that the homelessness was not due to the slum of the economic situation, but rather their own “self-destruction”. It is not an economic problem, but rather a substance abuse issue that is causing the homeless population.

Mental health and substance abuse problems were concluded to be the cause of the homelessness, because the government released numerous patients from mental institutions, and illegal drug use increased rapidly. Thus, the government is seen to be held liable for this consequence placed upon the streets of America.