Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
University of Bucharest, Economic and Administrative Series, Nr. 1 (2007) 92-110
Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society.
Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania
PhD Student Elena Kocai
Institute for Social Research, Lithuania
Summary
Homelessness is one of the forms of social disjuncture, and people, who fall in this
situation, usually find themselves beyond the limits of civil society. Researches prove that
the number of homeless people is continuously growing all over the world. It is necessary
to recognize this phenomenon to purposefully form the means of social policy while
looking for the methods of integration of homeless people in the society, reduce the number
of homeless people or to facilitate their existence. It is very important to understand what
homelessness is and what people are included in the category of homeless persons, why and
how they forfeit their homes. The article focuses on the issues theoretical conception of
homelessness as social phenomenon and introduces categories and forms of possible
homelessness. Critical factors determining homelessness as well as different types of these
are discussed in the article and the process of becoming homeless together with all its
stages is described. The article gives a socio-demographic profile of homeless people in
Lithuania, basing on the results of sociological survey in 2006. The circumstances and
reasons of the loss of housing, living conditions, incomes, health, value system, social
contacts of various groups of homeless are analyzed.
Keywords
Homelessness, conception of homelessness, forms, reasons, lifestyle of the homeless
Preface
The problem of the homelessness is becoming one of the main
problems of the modern society. Nobody can be immune against vague life
situations and possible social dangers. According to German sociologist U.
Beck, we live in a risk society. Its substantial aspect is dangers which are
bind neither by time or space, nor by sociability. These dangers effect
people’s environment and health, morality and legitimacy, property and
profits. It is a threat to culture, social and political stability1. The growth of
the homeless in a socium is conditioned by fast urbanization, long-term
unemployment, and property differentiation, and poverty, moral and mental
degradation of part of the inhabitants. Nowadays, homelessness has become
one of the most ultimate forms of disjuncture. When people are homeless
1
R.Grigas. Tautinė savivoka. Vilnius: Rosma. 2001. S. 165.
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
University of Bucharest, Economic and Administrative Series, Nr. 1 (2007) 92-110
they are completely or partly eliminated from the usual economic, political,
cultural, and spiritual communication environment. Loss of home and
destitution of means of support sooner or later undermine motives for
personality’s social activity, stimulate desperation and self-marginalization.
Isolated from the participation in the socially meaningful activities
individual becomes „lost one“ to the society, both directly and indirectly.
Directly he is „lost“ in a sense of human resources and indirectly – as a
source of a potential threat. Thus social disjuncture always reflects
particular marginalization processes proceeding in the socium which swamp
the weakest members of the society into poverty and despair.
Homelessness has been a topic for research for scientists from USA,
Canada, Great Britain, Germany and other countries for few decades now.
These researches are usually accomplished as an integrate part of housing
researches. Researchers acknowledge that homelessness is not just
destitution of home. It is a broader and more complicated social-economical
problem embodying legal, economical, psychological aspects of social and
private life.
The purpose of this article is to determine the concept of a homeless
person, to discuss the specific forms and causes of homelessness, to describe
homelessness as a process and lifestyle. With reference to the data got from
the sociological research which was accomplished in 2006 by the author of
this article, interesting information about living conditions, behavior, social
contacts, and values of the homeless in Lithuania will be presented in this
article.
The object of the research is the homeless, the relationship and
ranges of homelessness.
Methods of the research – individual interviews, content analysis of
scientific and publication literature.
The Concept and Forms of Homelessness
The study of literature shows that academic communities of various
countries do not have one standing concept of homelessness phenomenon
and definition of the homeless. Yet it is not difficult to define the
phenomenon. The main thing to indicate is its content in each particular
situation. In some cases used a very narrow definition. A homeless can be
called everyone who sleeps under the open sky. Other times (in a broader
sense) the homeless are those who sleep under bridges, in derelict buildings,
various temporary housing institutions, at friends or relatives but can end up
on a street every minute. Such definition widespread in many countries: in
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
University of Bucharest, Economic and Administrative Series, Nr. 1 (2007) 92-110
Poland, Romania, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, Sweden, Denmark2. In some
European and American countries homelessness is described in a very broad
sense. In these cases the homeless are considered to be people (usually
young families) who live autonomously but do not have their own home and
are constrained to live with the relatives. Such approach to homelessness in
a broadest sense reflects an existing accommodation problem in most
countries.
There are English scientists S. Fitzpatrick, P. Kemp, P. Robson and
others who present in their works comprehensive systematic concept of
homelessness (Table 13).
Ranges
Do not have roof above
them
Criteria
Individuals who do not have any dwelling, for example, sleeping
under the open sky, victims of floods and fires, immigrants
Those who do not have
home (are unable to
purchase or retain their
own dwelling with
minimal conditions or do
not have right to it)
Those who have unsafe
or temporary dwelling
Those who have inapt
dwelling conditions
Individuals who do not have dwelling, living in temporary housing
institutions (lodging-houses, prisons and etc.), hostels for the
homeless, refugee camps, and other institutions (hospitals,
rehabilitations centers, and etc.)
Those who are
constrained to share their
dwelling
Individuals who temporary live at their friends or relatives, tenants,
people who are liable to move out, illegal settlers
Individuals who live in overcrowded, contravening with minimal
hygiene norms dwellings as well as people who feel threats to their
own safety or psychological wellbeing in their dwelling-place
Individuals who share the dwelling for a long time against their will
because they are unable to purchase or retain their separate
dwelling
Table 1. The Criteria and Ranges of Homelessness
The multi-dimensions of homelessness phenomenon make us to
speak about various forms of it. They can be marked and classified
according to particular criteria:
Expression of homelessness: Looking from the angle of expression
dual homelessness is accentuated in the scholarly literature4: 1)
obvious/apparent/sensu stricto – the real homeless, i.e. people who don’t
have roof above their heads and always have to look for a place to sleep; 2)
latent/hidden/sensu largo homelessness – the potential homeless, i.e. people
2
E.Kocai. Benamystė kaip socialinis reiškinys// Filosofija. Sociologija. 2006. Nr. 2. S. 55.
The table has been created on the grounds of the source: V.Kanopienė, S.Mikulionienė.
Lietuvos benamiai: gyvenimo sąlygos// Socialinis darbas. 2004. Nr. 3 (1). S. 49.
4
Encyklopedia socjologii. Warszawa: Oficyna naukowa. 1998. T. 1. S. 61.
3
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
University of Bucharest, Economic and Administrative Series, Nr. 1 (2007) 92-110
who have temporary, unsafe, contravening with normal living conditions
dwellings and which can be lost anytime.
The period of homelessness: Depending on the duration usually are
mentioned short (up to 12 months) and permanent (longer than 12 months)
homelessness. P. Kogel, A. Burnam indicates periodic (or cyclic)
homelessness when the individual looses home only on particular time5. A
similar range system is used by Canadians M.A. Beavis, N. Klos, T. Carter.
They divide homelessness to situational, episodic and permanent. These
forms of homelessness are also called temporary, cyclic and chronic6.
The extent of homelessness: L. Aleksejeva, M. Porowski write about
dual homelessness: total/juridical (when people truly do not have where to
live) and partial (includes the homeless who live somewhere but do not have
permanent residence, are constrained to change their dwelling often)7.
Polish sociologist A. Duracz-Walczak marks situational homelessness also –
when a person has home but because of various reasons cannot or does not
want to live there8.
The space of homelessness: Considering certain aspects of
homelessness American sociologists Ch. Jencks and others differentiate
street and shelter homeless. However, in author’s opinion, there is no clear
limit between them because the residence of a homeless person is usually
unstable: one day he/she has no roof above him/her while another he/she can
look for the shelter in the lodging-house9.
It is needed to acknowledge that all mentioned forms of
homelessness exist in Lithuania. They complement each other and structure
a vivid picture of homelessness situation.
The Causes and Extent of Homelessness
Talking about the causes of homelessness it is important to
emphasize the essential fact that it is a multi-determined phenomenon
during which formation various groups of reasons interact. While searching
for the answers to causes of homelessness in separate life examples or
overall context of the state scientists mark factors on micro and macro levels
5
L.Stankiewicz. Zrozumieć bezdomność. Olsztyn: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu
Warmińsko-Mazurskiego. 2002. S. 67.
6
Aboriginal peoples and Homelessness (htpp://parl.gs.ca/information/library/)
7
Л .Алексеева. Бездомные как объект социальной дискредитации// Социс. 2003. Nr. 9.
S. 52.
8
L.Stankiewicz . Zrozumieć bezdomność. Olsztyn: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu
Warmińsko-Mazurskiego. 2002. S. 71.
9
Ch.Jencks. The Homeless. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. 1994. S. 4.
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
University of Bucharest, Economic and Administrative Series, Nr. 1 (2007) 92-110
which are rather autonomous but structurally connected. These factors are
often named as subjective, individual (i.e. connected with individual
person’s qualities) and objective, structural (i.e. connected with the grand
development of the society).
Analyzing causes of homelessness on micro level researchers take
into serious consideration the peculiarities of person’s socialization. In their
opinion, individual assimilates various forms of social behavior during
his/her life, including the asocial forms. When the socialization discomfits
individual gradually absorbs the values of asocial behavior, the process of
his/her self-creation converts into self-destruction and its consequence is
physical, moral and social degradation. For instance, J. Antonian, S.
Borodin and others raise an assumption that originated in the early
childhood avoidance of other people later can determine the formation of
vagabondage10. Discussing the causes of homelessness on micro level it is
also often claimed that permanent destitution of dwelling is a result of
certain individual’s personal psychological features and behavior – rejection of
higher life purposes, mental illnesses, and dependence on various addictions,
gambling games, and involvement in illegal activities. Homelessness can be
determined by negative circumstances or incidents in a family as well –
divorce, violence, the death of a spouse. Some researchers interpret
homelessness as a deliberate choice of such lifestyle made by homeless.
On macro level homelessness is associated not with personal
qualities of the individual but is perceived as a result of society’s evolution.
In this case the cause of homelessness is economical and political
transformation of the society. And as the result of it is unemployment,
poverty, low wages, inflation and raises of the prices. One of the main
reasons of the homelessness is the problem of shortage of dwellings, wrong
public policy, and loss of the dwelling because of law or political conflict.
In the sociological literature are marked other classifications of
homelessness causes. This classification depends on the guided criteria when
measuring the causes of dwelling loss. Speaking about definition and typology
of the homelessness courses it is reasonable to divide them several groups.
Social-economic courses – they include long term unemployment,
low wages of people, poverty, shortage of dwellings for children from
asylum, shortage of the municipal dwellings.
Individual courses – physical and psychological diseases,
alcoholism, drug addicting, unsocial behavior (unwillingness to work and to
be useful for the society), one’s own choice.
10
G.Valickas. Psichologinės asocialaus elgesio ištakos. Vilnius: Lietuvos teisės akademija.
1997. S. 75.
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
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Family courses – divorce, family violence, conflicts.
Administrative and law courses they are losing of the dwelling for
the debts, court decision, machination with the real estate and migration.
Occasional courses – natural disaster, fire, war conflicts.
Considering the grand causes of homelessness they conditionally can be
divided two types of the homeless: voluntary and forced. Voluntary
homelessness is prevailing in most European, African and American countries.
Some people deliberately choose to vagabond on the streets, sleep without any
comfort, and life without restraints, responsibility and duties. The forced
homeless are those who choose life without home against their free will.
Statistical data tells that there are around 700 million homeless in the
world. This number includes both real and potential homeless: 100 million
do not have roof above them at all, 600 million live in shelters and unsafe
dwellings11. Base on such statistics researchers emphasize several
substantial moments. The statistical data about the number of the homeless
is not exact in most countries. It is not easy to estimate the extent of
homelessness in one or another country because most of the homeless do
not have personal documents and do not refer to any social institutions. It is
rather difficult to compare directly the spread of homelessness among
different countries as well. First of all, it is because no country has exact
data about these people. Second, is to differ the periods and criteria of
statistical data with reference to which people are attributed to the class of
homeless12. And as it has been stated earlier, in academic communities of
various countries there is no one standing concept of homelessness
phenomenon and definition of the homeless.
The worth of data given in the Table 213 about the number of the
homeless in some countries is not the comparison of the extent of
homelessness in various countries but the revelation how the definition of
homelessness influences its level in a particular country.
11
Encyklopedia socjologii. Warszawa: Oficyna naukowa. 2002. S. 61.
V.Kanopienė, S.Mikulionienė. Lietuvos benamiai: gyvenimo sąlygos// Socialinis darbas.
2004. Nr. 3 (1). S. 51.
13
The table has been created on the grounds of the sources: V.Kanopienė, S.Mikulionienė.
Lietuvos benamiai: gyvenimo sąlygos// Socialinis darbas. 2004. Nr. 3 (1). S. 51;
www.homeless.ru/librus/showquestion.php; http://www.weingart.org/institute/;
www.homeless.org.ua/theme/2004/04/h.html; www.radio.cz/ru/statja/42978/limit; LR
Socialinės apsaugos ir darbo ministerija (www.socmin.lt);
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_inclusion/docs/2006/nap/romania_annex1_en.pdf
12
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Table 2. The Scale of Homelessness and Number of Homeless in Some Countries in
1995-2006
Country, year
Number of residents
in millions
Total number of the
homeless
France, 1999
60,0
1 000 000
Germany, 1995
United Kingdom, 1995
Spain, 1998
Russia, 2004
Italy, 1995
Belgium, 1995
Netherlands, 1999
Luxembourg, 1995
Romania, 2006
Ireland, 1995
Norway, 1997
Greece, 1995
USA, 1996
80,4
57,9
39,6
160,0
56,9
10,0
15,5
0,3
22,3
3,5
4,4
10,3
293,0
Spain, 1995
Denmark, 1995
Lithuania, 2001
Portugal, 1995
Estonia, 2000
Latvia, 2000
39,1
5,1
3,49
12,8
1,4
2,4
1 030 000
642 980
273 000
4 200 000
152 000
26 376
40 000
2870
15 000
5000
6 200
10 000
2 300 0003 500 000
29 659
2947
1250
152 000
400
100
The number of the
homeless for 1000
residents
16,6
12,8
11,0
6,9
2,8
2,7
2,6
2,6
2,0
1,5
1,4
1,4
1,0
0,9-1,3
0,7
0,6
0,4
0,2
0,03
0,004
The homelessness exists practically in every country. But mostly this
phenomenon is resided to Asian, African and Latino American countries.
But scientists confirm that just lonely or young people or even young
families very often become homeless all over the world. It doesn’t matter
what is the number of homelessness but what is really important is the fact
that their number grow and they create a lot of problem which are not easy
to solve.
Homelessness as a Process and as a Lifestyle
Homelessness is a long, complicated and dynamic process. Looking
from the time dimension becoming a homeless can have five evolution
phases which can be graphically described in such order:
Primary
Warning
Adapting
Chronic
Permanent
Primary phase (up to 2 years): The one has no permanent place for
living and slipping, but he doesn’t recognize himself as homeless. He still
tries to keep in touch with his relatives, though those contacts become weak.
Periodically such man can spend his night in porches, in abandoned houses
in shelters. He still believes that if he finds job he will come back to his
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
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family. But often such thought have never realized. One of the reasons is
alcohol.
Warning phase (2-4 years): The one continue to treat his situation as
temporal and is not identificated with the symptoms of homelessness. As a
rule he has been already charged by financial debts (for example: ticketless
travel fine, money penalties, unpaid alimony). He is ready to spend the night
in shelters but he is still believes that he will be able to come out from this
situation but he doesn’t thing returning to the family.
Adapting phase (4-6 years): After so many years has being speeded
in homeless conditions and after many attempts to come through it and
backing it again the man firmly setting in the structures or homeless. He has
already known many of them, he knew their values and social hierarchy, he
good orientated in the rules of behavior in railway stations and shelters. He
already identificates him self with the nomeless society. There is no real
chance to help and to take himself off this situation without professional
help.
Chronic phase (6-10 years): This phase is characterized by wholly
adaptation to the conditions of homelessness. Contacts with the family
stopped or have many years’ breaks. Homeless try to accommodate
themselves in the shelters and to earn money to pay for their living in
shelter.
Permanent phase (more than 10 years): Homeless lost any
motivation for taking attempts to come through the homelessness. His
ambitions and interests are to find stable position and function in homeless
society. In the developing homelessness syndrome phase the man is not able
to functionate in the society independently. But it doesn’t mean that the
returning to the normal life is impossible. But it demand the help of
pshychoterapeut.
Becoming homeless in a qualitative sense can be illustrated as a five
stage process as suggested by Polish sociologists B. Bartosz, L.
Stankiewicz14:
Failure of life plans and family breakdown
Poverty
Various aspects of
becoming homeless (cultural, existential, psychological, ethical, moral)
Habit of
being homeless
Real homelessness
Certainly, the suggested stages of becoming homeless can be based
on the grounds of other factors and criteria choosing of which are usually
14
The scheme has been created on the grounds of the source: L.Stankiewicz. Zrozumieć
bezdomność. Olsztyn: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Warmińsko-Mazurskiego. 2002.
S. 73-97.
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
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depended on the country’s social, economical, cultural, ethical relationship
peculiarities as well as specific historical society’s development conditions.
Becoming a homeless is not necessarily a dynamic process.
According to American scientists „those who reject former social bonds by
linking themselves to the homeless, they accept homelessness as a
lifestyle“15. People after they have lost dwelling adjusted or had to adjust to
the status of a homeless. With the time they accustomed to the homeless life
and created their own way of living with a particular way of behavior,
activities, communication style and values. Often scientists define it as a
poverty or underclass subculture16. In the last years the lifestyle of the
homeless is studied as an extreme form of the social isolation. EUROSTAT
has given indicators of social which define social isolation: financial
difficulties in a family, the dissatisfaction of basic needs, inability to buy
durables, adverse living conditions, poor health (the likely life span,
subjective perception of health condition), rare contacts with friends and
relatives, dissatisfaction with work or main activity, inaccessibility of
education system, no participation in political activities17.
However, it can not be affirmed that the same lifestyle is related to
all homeless. It is determined by the homeless range (according to the
sleeping place, occupation and other criteria) to which the particular person
belongs.
Problem of Homelessness in Lithuania
Homelessness as a problem became evident in Lithuania only after
regaining independence in 1990. In Lithuania, as well as in others postcommunist countries – Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Hungary, and Ukraine
during the socialist period the homelessness as a social phenomenon was not
acknowledged officially. Homeless and other „asocial elements“ were
persecuted on the grounds of contemporary penal code, judged or isolated
from the society and accommodated in so called enclosed regime
institutions. Today the situation has changed. In the social structure of the
society various marginalized groups are segregated, among others and the
homeless. The surveys show that there is a tendency to grow for the number
of the homeless in Lithuania. In order to prevent homelessness in the
15
L.Broom, Ch.M.Bonjean, D.H.Broom. Sociologija. Kaunas: Littera. 1992. S. 233.
Л .Алексеева. Бездомные как объект социальной дискредитации// Социс. 2003. Nr.
9. S. 52-61.
17
D.Petružytė. Socialinė atskirtis ir benamystė (referatas). Vilnius: Socialinių tyrimų
institutas. 2006. S. 23-24.
16
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
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country and to avoid its negative consequences it is essential to know that
phenomenon and its formation mechanisms. It is important to develop
systematic scientific research which would create a complex picture of a
homeless person and that would distinguish homelessness from the social
environment as a solid phenomenon.
The first information about the homeless appeared in mass media
after 1990. Even today mass media is the only structure that designates
biggest interest in the topics of homelessness. First official data about the
homeless was published in 2001 after the overall country population
census18. In the incidental places, sinkholes, dumps, thermal tracks 1250
homeless were registered – 940 men and 310 women. The major part of the
homeless lived in the cities (792) – Vilnius (254), Kaunas (105) and
Klaipėda (209). The majority of the homeless are 30-60 years old (76%).
Especially significant is the fact that 3% of the homeless are children under
15 years. The level of the education among the homeless is different but
mostly of them are little educated. 70% of the homeless have Lithuanian
nationality.
It is important to emphasize that during the population census the
narrowest concept of the homeless was used. The homeless were considered
to be those people who slept under the open sky and did not have even a
temporary shelter. People who were using lodging-house services during the
census were not included in this range. Another problem is that numerous
part of citizens who do not have permanent residence or ownership of the
dwelling was not included into the inhabitants’ list and was not surveyed.
But in order to make objective analysis to the problem of homelessness in
Lithuania it is necessary to follow a broader concept of it. The homeless are
individuals who do not have inhabitancy or temporary are unable to use it,
who overnight in accidental places or temporary housing institutions, and
do not have resources to buy or rent a dwelling19.
18
Benamiai: kiek jų ir kokie jie
(http://www.kvsc.lt/04_sveikata/c_gyv_sveikata/gyven_sveikata.htm)
19
This conception will be guided in the research in 2006.
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
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Picture 1. The Number of the Homeless in Lithuania
3000
2500
2500
2000
1500
1250
1000
500
0
2001
2003
Latest surveys show that the number of the homeless is higher and it
has a tendency to grow20 (Picture 1). We can assume that the number of real
homeless in Lithuania could reach few thousand. Naturally these people do
not have any significant influence on the public life decisions.
The main reasons of growing number of homeless in Lithuania after
1990 are:
• The sharpening of the economic situation (industrial production fall
down, inflation, price uprising, fall down of the life level of the
citizens);
• The political instability;
• Moral and ideological crises, losing of the life orienteers and values;
• Social problems, shortage of the municipal cheap dwellings, inefficiency
of the social and medical insurance.;
High unemployment, poverty, the closing of worker’s hostels,
increased family dysfunction, and lack of adequate money resources were
the reasons that some of the most vulnerable people had lost their homes
and found themselves on the street. Many individuals who become homeless
have multiple problems associated with a history of institutional care of
confinement, family breakdown, alcoholism, mental and physical health
problems, unemployment and lack of financial resources.
If 20 years ago the only asocial people could be homeless, so today
nobody could safeguard himself against homelessness. There are also
people with the high education and calcification who became homeless.
Many of the homeless are the permanent (longer than 12 months) homeless.
During the summer they slip in parks, on bus stops, under the bridges. But
20
M.Kuizinaitė. Valkatos laimės viršūnė – naktis po stogu// Lietuvos rytas. 2003 10 18. S.
1,3,8.
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
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the cold weather makes them search for the warm places in abandoned
buildings, porches or heating mains.
There is hidden homelessness in Lithuania also. There are a lot of
the people who have temporary dwellings which can be lost anytime.
There are two central problem in the country connected with the
homelessness:
1.
The shortage of cheap dwellings and social hostels.
2.
Alcoholism as a main factor of becoming
homelessness.
To solve these problems it is necessary to create a structure of the
social shelters where alcoholism treatment is possible. Only after that the
one can proceed to another step of social help, for example, getting new
profession skills.
No doubt, that the net of the temporal shelters does not solve the
problem of homelessness. The only way is to elaborate and launch national
program with the complex of social methods and measures of help for
homeless people and for people of risks group.
The Lifestyle and Peculiarities of the Homeless in Lithuania
Methodology and study approaches. The author has accomplished
a sociological qualitative survey. Its purpose was to explore the living and
activity conditions, social and physical space of the homeless, to reveal their
values, personal qualities.
In summer 2006 20 homeless of various age were questioned (20-67
years) – 15 men and 5 women. The method of half-standardized individual
interview was used in the survey. The interviews were carried out in
temporary sleeping places of the homeless (lodging-houses, stations), near
the containers, in the dumps. The survey included homeless from Vilnius
and Klaipėda cities and Trakai region. These regions were taken because
there was a highest level of homelessness over whole Lithuania. This survey
doesn’t claim to be an objective representativeness but it can in some
features describe the situation of homelessness in Lithuania.
The circumstances and duration of a dwelling loss: The survey has
showed that usual reason of losing dwelling is connected with dysfunctional
relations in a family: violence, divorce, disagreement with relatives. Another
significant cause of a dwelling loss is material deprivation what makes
people to sell their dwellings and to involve in doubtful trades. Last but not
least are such causes of homelessness as: teenagers leaving children’s home
and other fosterage institutions, the return of the convicted people from the
places of imprisonment, scheming with realty. In the majority cases constant
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problem causing the loss of dwelling is alcohol. Usually causal chain of
losses of dwelling and becoming homeless is connected namely with it. This
chain can be described as follows:
1) Immoderate use of alcohol
Unemployment
Divorce
margins of society
Homelessness
2) Immoderate use of alcohol
Loss of hope
„Extrusion“ to
Poverty
Loss of health
to swamp into debts
Homelessness
There can be more such chains concerning the causes of dwelling loss.
This survey revealed that voluntary homelessness is not common in
Lithuania. Forced homelessness is prevailing. However, observing the
behavior of the homeless it might be argued that all homeless a priori had an
internal psychological predisposition or spiritual weakness to become
homeless. Later these psychological predisposition enforced by the external
factors brings people to the homelessness. Obviously, not everybody who
experiences personal, financial or family crisis becomes a homeless.
Consequently while analyzing homelessness and its causes much attention
should be paid to the psychological dimensions of this phenomenon.
Depending on the duration of the homelessness period the homeless
can be divided into two groups: short-term and permanent homeless. Few
respondents have lost their dwellings before 1990, thus their homelessness
life lasts around 25 years. It is evident that homelessness existed during
soviet times too. The permanent homeless are more often among all the
homeless. They have lost their dwellings during the last 16 years. Such
distribution of the homeless according to the „standing“ proclaims that
losing of dwelling in present times are the most risky.
Places of overnight. Depending on living and overnight places
homeless constitute few ranges:
•
Homeless, living in lodging-houses. Some respondents are
the residents of temporary housing institutions, thus the problem of their
overnight place is temporarily (usually for one year) solved. They have their
own room which they have to share with 2-3 other people of the same fate.
The homeless can have personal belongings, use offered by the institution
services (washing machine, kitchen, bathroom, and etc.). But the lodginghouse is intended only for overnight, at daytime residents must leave it
(these rules do not hold true for invalids, pensioners, mothers with little
children). Some homeless are not satisfied with the lodging-house as there
are many rules which, in their opinion, limit their freedom, and they don’t
like it.
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
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•
Homeless, sleeping and living everywhere. Homeless of this
category never have a permanent overnight place, everyday they feel unsafe.
Still these „street“ homeless just do not want to be settled in temporary
housing institutions. In some cases homeless men are sheltered, provided
with food and are taken care of by their acquaintances. Some part of the
homeless constantly changes their living and overnight places.
•
Dump homeless. During the survey were questioned
homeless of the dumps as well. There they have built small tents where they
live, handle their dwellings, spent their days and nights. Such dwellings are
situated near forest side by side.
Financial resources of living: Survey data evidences that nearly all
homeless, men or women, have rather low education – secondary or lower.
Only one from 20 respondents had higher education. The majority of them
worked unqualified or low-qualified jobs in the past (as well as their
parents). Almost all homeless in the time of survey were unemployed. The
majority were unemployed from 5 to 20 years. Few respondents were
unemployed longer than 25 years. The causes of unemployment were
different: dissolution of partnership and companies, the reduction of staff,
alcoholism, and previous conviction(s).
During the survey the homeless were asked about their living
resources. Results indicate variety of their living resources. On of the most
wide spread was casual earnings – work in the constructions, at private
persons. Many homeless live from the income earned by selling secondary
stocks. By the way, it is the main living resource of the dump homeless. In
the cities homeless usually have to go begging. Some beggars sitting near
the churches, others – walking on the streets begging for 20 cents for
support. Some respondents received old-age or disability pension, social
allowances. Most lodging-house residents had permanent jobs. All
respondents used support of governmental and non-governmental
organizations (nurture, clothing and etc.). Depending on occupation
homeless can be conditionally divided into two groups. The first group is
active homeless: working permanent or casual jobs, having occupation in
the dumps, gathering secondary stocks or other things and selling them. The
second group is passive homeless living from begging and charity. The
homeless’ answers about the income of the last month are rather interesting.
Working respondents claimed earning 600-700 Litas (about 180-200 euro21)
per month. Unemployed homeless said their earnings range. For example,
working in the dumps they earn 30-50 Litas (about 9-15 euro) per day, i.e.
around 1000 Litas (about 300 euro) per month. While begging it is possible
21
1 euro is about 3,5 Litas
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to earn from 1 to 100 Litas (about from 0,3 to 30 euro) per day. Some
respondents told that they didn‘t earn anything the last month. It should be
noted that all homeless do not have any savings although usually they have
several living resources.
Health, nutrition, addictions: Because of the miserable income
homeless do not have possibility to take good nourishment. Some men and
women confessed that they had experienced situations when they were
starving for few days. Best provided with food are homeless-pensioners or
working homeless. The survey revealed several ways of obtaining food. If
they have money, they buy it in a market or shop. If they do not have
money, they go to charity canteens, search for food waste in containers or
ask other people. All homeless claimed that it is impossible to starve to
death while living on the streets because food can be found everywhere and
anytime.
Homelessness negatively affects health of the homeless. They are ill
with various dermal, respiratory, digestive and articular illnesses, in winter
time they nip their legs and hands. It is estimated that there are a lot of
people among homeless who have mental illnesses. Usually mental illnesses
became the cause of the homelessness but not were the result of it22. The
survey showed that the homeless think of their health as good or fair.
Usually when they get ill they take medicine has gotten from the charity or
they use their own methods. Many respondents refer to alcohol as an
effective medicine from all troubles and illnesses. Strong drinks (beer, au de
cologne, diluents) are used often, few times a day. In the homeless opinion,
that is not alcoholism, thus they do not think of themselves as patients –
strong drinks just support their life. However, it is important to emphasize
that immoderate use of alcohol is a cause of the dwelling loss and not the
result of it. Nearly all homeless do not seek for help on purpose to be cured
of this addiction. Besides it there are drug addicts among young homeless.
Older permanent homeless notice that the number of such young people is
growing bigger every year. Consequently, it is important to take measures to
reduce the pervasion of addictions among the homeless.
Social contacts: One of the principal dimensions of social
disjuncture is social contacts23. Lithuanian surveys showed that with the loss
of their dwellings the homeless had lost contacts with people from their
former environment too. They do not communicate with their former friends
22
V.Kanopienė, S.Mikulionienė. Lietuvos benamiai: elgsena ir nuostatos// Socialinis
darbas. 2004. Nr. 3 (1). S. 64.
23
V.Kanopienė, S.Mikulionienė. Lietuvos benamiai: elgsena ir nuostatos// Socialinis
darbas. 2004. Nr. 3 (1). S. 67.
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
University of Bucharest, Economic and Administrative Series, Nr. 1 (2007) 92-110
and associates, relatives, blush their children. The closest contacts are with
people of the same fate. Differently from women, some homeless men keep
in touch with their former associates and friends. All respondents are
divorced or single. The majority of homeless are presently lonely, i.e. live
alone. Others find a homeless male or female friend and live together as a
couple. The survey educed that the majority of homeless had experienced
difficulties in their childhood and youth: suffered parents’/caregivers’
violence, lived poorly, saw alcohol abuse in the family. Such data allows
supposing that the present social disjuncture state of the homeless is a result
of their experience in the family and has actually started there. Most
probably that is a primary/hidden cause of their homelessness which was
later determined in interaction with other favorable factors.
Value system: People who have lost their home usually feel lonely
and unhappy. In such moments they lack support from the relatives, favorite
occupation and, of course, home. Survey revealed that the majority of
women associate their purport of life with children and grandchildren.
Maybe it can be named simply as dreams about the lost children. Men treat
life philosophically. The biggest worth of a life is life itself. Some
respondents emphasize the role of destiny, God and faith in human-being’s
life. Some gender differences showed up assessing the success of life.
Women emphasize more often personal efforts seeking for better life. Men
more emphasize the importance of power and money. They are more prone
to trust to material things. Usually the homeless do not blame anyone for
their painful fate. Only few mentioned parents as the cause of their troubles.
Some men noted having reproaches to the authorities: because of the
unemployment, poverty, lack of support for the poor. Survey indicated that
the majority of the homeless would like to change their status – they are not
satisfied with their position in the society and they seek to change it.
Unfortunately, these efforts are usually unsuccessful. Some homeless think
that if they have had another opportunity to start everything from the
beginning, they would have chosen another path – they would have selected
the life partner more carefully, finished studies, didn’t steal or drank. The
rest would choose the same path anyway. The homeless claim living as they
can, resign themselves to homeless life. These people are ashamed of being
unemployed, homeless, being unable to take care of themselves and their
relatives. Nearly all respondents have no expectations from their present
life; also see no meaning in the future. The fact is that few years ago it was
stated that there are more optimists than pessimists among the homeless24.
24
V.Kanopienė, S.Mikulionienė. Lietuvos benamiai: elgsena ir nuostatos// Socialinis
darbas. 2004. Nr. 3 (1). S. 70.
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Possibly no significant changes have being occurred in their lives since then
and this conditioned their disappointment in life.
Society’s attitude towards the homeless: As in most countries,
society’s attitude towards the homeless is rather negative in Lithuania too. It
realizes the homeless as well. In their opinion, society avoids them,
considers them as second-class citizens. And the homeless themselves treat
the society members differently. They do not like rich, arrogant people and
liars most of all and appreciate simplicity, fairness, openness, and honesty.
Supposedly these estimations reflect the sensibility of the homeless to the
experienced injustice.
The solution of the homelessness problem: In Lithuania as well as
in other countries lodging-houses are established for the homeless, they
receive various benefits, charity is rendered, and they get free nutrition,
psychological help. Still usually such help is short-term and not complex.
On purpose to diminish homelessness complex decisions should be enacted.
In Lithuania first and foremost it is important to consider the idea of the
shelters for the homeless abusing alcohol or drugs. In such shelters they
should get complex of services which would help to return to “normal”
society. Rendering social support to the homeless it is essential to take into
consideration that part of the homeless are more motivated „to overcome“
homelessness and to integrate to the society (by getting employed, trying to
find permanent dwelling). It is conditionally easier to help them but some
homeless do not expect to change their status. They would just like to get
particular social services. This group, although it seems as if they do not
deserve it, „would need twice more regard and love“25 from the society.
Parallel with such means it is important to devote some thought to
preventive strategies of the homelessness. Knowing that usually dwelling
loss is caused by the dysfunctional relationship in the family and poverty, it
is substantial to intensify social support namely in this chain of risk
situations – when family members do not get well with each other, divorce,
when families cannot escape poverty on their own.
Conclusions
Homelessness is not just destitution of a dwelling. It is a
comprehensive and complex social problem involving many dimensions of
social and private life. Scholarly literature of many countries presents
different definitions of the homelessness concept. In Lithuania the homeless
25
V.Kanopienė, S.Mikulionienė. Lietuvos benamiai: elgsena ir nuostatos// Socialinis
darbas. 2004. Nr. 3 (1). S. 71.
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Elena Kocai, Phenomenon of Homelessness in the modern society. Realities of the Homelessness in Lithuania / Annals of
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could be considered those individuals who do not have inhabitancy or
temporary are unable to use it, which overnight in accidental places or
temporary housing institutions, and do not have resources to buy or rent a
dwelling. The multi-dimensions of homelessness enable us to speak about
various forms of it according to expression, period, extent and space. During
the formation of the homelessness various subjective and objective groups
of causes interact. Extent evaluation and data comparison of the
homelessness are significant methodological problem as the criteria of
homelessness differ in various countries. Becoming homeless is a longlasting process. This process is dynamic and may have several evolution
phases depending on time and quality dimensions. Homelessness can be as a
lifestyle too with a particular distinctive behavior, connecting the homeless,
activities, communication style, and values.
The survey evidenced that voluntary homelessness is not topical in
Lithuania. The forced homelessness is prevailing. The prime its cause is
alcoholism with which is coherent the continuous chain of losses. The majority
of the homeless are permanent homeless. They have lost their dwellings during
the last decade and today they live everywhere – lodging-houses, dumps. The
majority of the homeless have low education and weak vocational preparation.
Some of them do not work longer than 10 years. The main living resources are
casual earnings, begging, and charity. The homeless can earn from 0 to 1000
Litas (about 300 euro) per month but they do not have any savings.
Homelessness negatively affects their physical condition. The survey
demonstrated that together with the loss of the dwelling the homeless lost
contacts with people from their former environment. The closest contacts are
with people of the same fate. The majority of the homeless experienced
difficulties in their childhood and youth: suffered violence, lived in poverty,
saw alcohol abuse in the family. Possibly the present social disjuncture state of
the homeless is a result of their experience in the family and has actually started
there. Today the homeless feel lonely and unhappy. The purport of life they
associate with children, God, and the success – with the personal activity and
money. They do not blame anyone for their fate, they live as they can and do
not expect anything good in the future. Society’s attitude towards the homeless
is rather negative in Lithuania.
On purpose to stop the expansion of the homelessness in the country it
is important to consider the real existing forms and causes of it. It would enable
to implement adequate prevention means more effectively involving into these
activities not only the state but private and public organizations as well.
Homelessness causes danger to modern society and expostulates with its moral
code. Thus homelessness cannot be left to its self-expression without any
interventions. It is essential to limit its expansion by all possible means.
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