NCJ Number
166911
Date Published
1989
Length
55 pages
Annotation
A national survey of shelters for homeless persons gathered information on the capacity and locations of shelters, the demographic characteristics of the people using them, drug abuse and other problems in residents, funding, costs, staffing, services, and operations.
Abstract
The survey was conducted in 1988 and reached a statistical sample of homeless shelters in jurisdictions with populations of 25,000 or more. Results indicated that the United States has about 5,400 homeless shelters with a total bed capacity of 240,000. A high proportion of sheltered homeless persons are in major population centers. Both families and unaccompanied men are increasing among the sheltered homeless, but families are increasing more rapidly. An estimated 33 percent of those in shelters had histories of alcoholism, 25 percent had histories of drug abuse, 34 percent had mental illness, and 11 percent had disabilities. The shelters relied on both full-time and part-time paid staff as well as volunteer personnel. Many shelters provide services such as mail receiving, dinner, case management, storage of personal items, breakfast, transportation, help to find permanent housing, financial management assistance, and clothing. Figures, tables, and survey instrument