Youth homelessness: A sociological literature review

Abstract

Beliefs about homelessness responsibility are constantly fluctuating according to the time period and context (Kidd, 2012). This paper will be a critical literature review concerning the magnitude of the social issues driving youth homelessness, the need for solutions in remedying youth homelessness, and how society has viewed the homeless youth population both within scholarly research and mass media coverage. There are limitations within the research that should be analyzed for further studies. Research has historically lacked clear operational definitions, and the methodology and sample sizes have slowly improved to adequately understand the breadth of the problem. This paper will examine the literature concerning homeless adolescents to evaluate both academic and journalistic representations and perceptions from a sociological lens. While academic literature is attuned to focus on solutions and research, most of society receives information through mass media so it is critical to compare and contrast the scholarly academic information with the information that the masses are receiving from media outlets on a daily basis.