Homelessness is a serious problem in our society. Every night in our nation thousands of people take to the streets. This type of behavior is considered deviant because it does not reflect the norms and values ​​of our society. In many cases the homeless in our country are treated as total outcasts. Many of these people suffer from serious mental disorders. Some are victims of an economy that has failed them. You might wonder how such harsh situations exist in such an advanced society. With all the money and programs created to help people it seems ridiculous that this behavior exists. In a society where people have so much, how is it possible that there are still people who have so little? Homeless people are human beings, no different than anyone else. They have rights and privileges just like any other citizen. As human beings we have a duty to help those in need. The homeless are in need. They don't just need money, they also need our attention and support. Homelessness is something that we as a society must address and eliminate completely. In recent years the number of homeless people has increased enormously, gaining public attention. While there is debate about how many homeless people there are in the United States, few disagree that the numbers are extremely high and growing. In the past, the homeless population consisted primarily of alcoholic white men. Now the homeless are made up of many different types of people who vary in ethical basis. They have also become a younger group of people and have a variety of different reasons for being homeless (Farr, 1986). Homeless people don't have a bed to warm up in if they have a fever or if it's cold. They don't... half of the paper ......ington: University Press of Kentucky.Works ConsultedChildren's Defense Fund. (1998). The state of America's children: A report from the Children's Defense Fund. Boston: Beacon Press.Fitchen, J. (1981). Poverty in rural America: A case study. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.Gans, H. J. (1995). The War on the Poor: The Underclass and the Politics of Poverty. New York: BasicBooks.Garrett, P. (1996). Poor Kids in a Rich Nation: Eating Seed Corn. In Paths from poverty educational network. University Park, PA: Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. (ED 406 080) Katz, M. B. (1990). The undeserving poor: from the war on poverty to the war on welfare. New York: Pantheon Books.Kryder-Coe, J.H., Salamon, L.M., & Molnar, J.M. (Eds.). (1991). Homeless children and youth: A new American dilemma. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.