Newark, which is considered as the largest city within Essex County, faces a wide array of urban issues with homelessness being one of the leading issues. Statistical data suggests that the homeless population in Newark is on a steady rise attributed to a wide array of socioeconomic factors. According to data from the Municipal Council of Newark, the homeless population in the city is approximately 3,899, which includes both children and adults; thus, creating a situation where the local government finds itself burdened ( Stewart 2019 ). The consideration of Emile Durkheim’s way of thinking in trying to understand the issue of homelessness in Newark brings into sharp focus the idea that lack of functionalism. Durkheim builds functionalism from the understanding that the society ought to be viewed as a moral entity, which suggests that lack of conformity to this social perception creates a high possibility of homelessness.
Racial Disparities in the Homeless Population
The number of homeless individuals increased significantly in Newark NJ resulting to a high number of homeless individuals. The study undertaken within Newark indicated that the issue of homelessness in the region was attributed to different factors within the society. In Durkheim’s theory, he believed that a society is impacted by social interactions that take place among individuals thus resulting in the development of similar characteristics within individuals that have social interactions. In that case, the issue of homelessness in Newark required the implementation of effective strategies to determine the specific characteristics and needs of the homeless individuals. Understanding the given characteristics would help to determine the racial disparities that may be present among the homeless populations and the impact of the disparities in the increase of the issue. Different studies indicated the existence of racial disparities among the homeless, which is considered a factor that contribute to the increase of homeless individuals in Newark.
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According to Stewart (2019) , there is a strong correlation between poverty and homelessness in Newark. The racial disparities within the region provide an indication of how racial inequalities contribute to an increase in poverty levels, thus increasing the number of homeless individuals. For instance, white individuals make up 31.5 of the total population, 11.6% of whom live below the poverty line. Out of 11.6%, 10.3% are homeless. On the other hand, African Americans make up 38.9% of the population, where 56.1% of those living below the poverty line, and out of those, 71% are homeless. The ratio disparities are also visible where poverty and homeless percentages are higher among black people. The disparities portray the impact of systemic racism, a pervasive structural force.
Compositions of Homeless Individuals
An in-depth evaluation of the homeless population in Newark suggests that most of the persons affected are victims of domestic violence and veterans. Additionally, it is important to point out that a high number of the homeless persons are chronically homeless, which means that they are permanently homeless as a result of a wide array of factors. Emile Durkheim suggests that a lack of functionalism is often considered as a key contributor to situations where societies are not in any position to provide for their populations. In this case, what is clear is that the local government in Newark is facing a major challenge in providing adequate housing for its population. The ultimate outcome is that this creates a situation where a significant number of the people find themselves experiencing homelessness.
Another key aspect to consider when evaluating the composition of the homeless population in Newark is that approximately 36% of the population is reported to have one or more forms of disability or mental health issues. The most common type of mental issue among the homeless persons in Newark is substance abuse disorders, which affects more than half of the homeless persons in the city. That shows the need for the local government to come up with well structured measures that would seek to push for better policies to deal with the issue. The local government would seek to capitalize on Emile Durkheim’s functionalism, which would help promote the idealistic notion of the society as a moral entity. The implication that this is expected of have is that it will help in creating a much more accommodating environment through which to deal with the issue of homelessness in the city.
Causes of Homelessness in Newark, NJ
In Newark, homelessness is caused by the cumulative impact of several factors. Structural factors are societal and economic issues that affect the social environment of individuals (Marcuse 2017). Some of the critical factors of homelessness in Newark are inadequate income, discrimination, and lack of access to affordable housing. Inadequate income arises from the fact that most of the companies and organizations offering employment in the city pay the minimum wage, which creates a situation where majority of the workers find it challenging in supporting their livelihoods. Most of the individuals who found themselves homeless could not afford necessities such as food, rent, healthcare, and education. After all, over 50% of them were not recipients of any steady income.
A shortage of affordable housing also contributed to homelessness in Newark. Most of the individuals affected by the shortage were the youth, whose incomes were not enough, and veterans whose pensions could not afford expensive housing plans. Low-cost housing in Newark is limited to accommodate the rising population in the city, which becomes a major issue of concern for persons seeking proper housing. The ultimate impact that this has had is that it has pushed most of the low-income earners into the streets considering that they are in no position to afford rent. The issue of racial disparity is equally an important issue of consideration in dealing with the issue of homelessness in Newark considering that persons from the minority communities find it much harder in finding low-cost housing. That creates a situation where most of the people find themselves experiencing a high risk of homelessness. Homelessness in Newark can be considered as a direct result of system failure. When critical systems of care and sup-port fail, vulnerable individuals become homeless, a condition that mainstream services could have prevented.
Conclusion
Newark, which is considered as the largest city within Essex County, faces a wide array of urban issues with homelessness being one of the leading issues. The number of homeless individuals increased significantly in Newark NJ resulting to a high number of homeless individuals. The racial disparities within the region provide an indication of how racial inequalities contribute to an increase in poverty levels. Emile Durkheim suggests that a lack of functionalism is often considered as a key contributor to situations where societies are not in any position to provide for their populations.
References
Marcuse, Peter. 2017. “After Exposing the Roots of Homelessness–What?” Urban Geography 38(3): 357-359. Doi: 10.1080/02723638.2016.1247601.
Stewart, N. 2019. “They Ended Up in Decrepit Housing in Newark. Is New York to Blame?” The New York Times , https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/nyregion/nyc-homeless-newark-housing-vouchers.html
