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THE PERCEPTION OF HOMELESS PEOPLE: IMPORTANT FACTORS IN DETERMINING PERCEPTIONS OF THE HOMELESS AS DANGEROUS

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Date Issued:
2008
Abstract/Description:
This study uses two quantitative and two qualitative data sources to determine if homeless people are viewed as dangerous and if they are what factors contribute to this perception. Areas examined are respondent's characteristics, media affects and the perceived rights of homeless people to urban space. Actual levels of perpetration among the homeless are examined to allow for comparisons between perception and reality to be made. Findings showed that race plays a major role in the perception of homeless peo-ple among whites, while gender is more influential among blacks. There was no rela-tionship between media and perceptions. A negative relationship was found between support of rights of the homeless and the perception that they are dangerous. While the homeless have higher incarceration rate as compared to the poor-but-never-homeless, the crimes for which they are sentenced appear to be non-violent in nature and are of-ten what are characterized as nuisance crimes. Recommendations were made to study actual perpetration rates among the homeless to allow for a more in-depth analysis of criminal involvement.
Title: THE PERCEPTION OF HOMELESS PEOPLE: IMPORTANT FACTORS IN DETERMINING PERCEPTIONS OF THE HOMELESS AS DANGEROUS.
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Name(s): Donley, Amy, Author
Wright, James, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2008
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: This study uses two quantitative and two qualitative data sources to determine if homeless people are viewed as dangerous and if they are what factors contribute to this perception. Areas examined are respondent's characteristics, media affects and the perceived rights of homeless people to urban space. Actual levels of perpetration among the homeless are examined to allow for comparisons between perception and reality to be made. Findings showed that race plays a major role in the perception of homeless peo-ple among whites, while gender is more influential among blacks. There was no rela-tionship between media and perceptions. A negative relationship was found between support of rights of the homeless and the perception that they are dangerous. While the homeless have higher incarceration rate as compared to the poor-but-never-homeless, the crimes for which they are sentenced appear to be non-violent in nature and are of-ten what are characterized as nuisance crimes. Recommendations were made to study actual perpetration rates among the homeless to allow for a more in-depth analysis of criminal involvement.
Identifier: CFE0002261 (IID), ucf:47846 (fedora)
Note(s): 2008-08-01
Ph.D.
Sciences, Department of Sociology
Doctorate
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): homelessness
race
media
focus groups
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002261
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UCF

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