Classifying the homeless
In looking for solutions it would be useful to not just use a one size fits-all word like homeless but actually distinguish between various subgroups. Of course there is a great deal of overlap but I think if we understand more clearly the different populations we’re dealing with, that will help a lot in coming up with effective solutions because different sub groups require different solutions.
Especially we need to distinguish between those who are somewhat functional and able to think somewhat clearly, able to make rational choices with money, people could benefit from various sorts of help like money and food stamps
and those who basically are like children who need to be taken care of, cannot make good decisions on their own and cannot manage money or even the daily routines of life, in particular addicts and the mentally ill.
1 Vets
2 age- there are distinctly different behaviors between age groups, for example under 50 and over,
3 Women/men/other
4 Addicts
5 Drunks
6 Mentally ill
7 people who for one reason or another simply lost their homes and are victims of the economic conditions but are not inherently dysfunctional
8 Dangerous/not dangerous
9 the ultimate question is to what degree people still have some consciousness or seem completely unconscious