Problems with the homeless figures

national | housing | opinion/analysis Wednesday June 21, 2006 13:20 by Mark G

The Homeless agency last month claimed that homeless figures had dropped by a fifth in Dublin last year.

The Homeless agency last month claimed that homeless figures had dropped by a fifth in Dublin last year. While this came as a surprise to those working on the ground in the sector, it shouldn’t have. The current government is all to willing to massage figures to suit its own agenda, they are also all to willing to attempt to pull the wool of the publics eye’s. NGO’s in the sector have pointed out that there remains a large number of hidden homeless who haven’t been counted in the figures and they say that they haven’t experienced any change in the situation in recent years. The term hidden homeless refers to people who have no fixed abode who are sleeping on friends floors or sofa’s or who don’t register for support services. Fr Peter McVerry of the Arrupe society has publicly stated that he believed the number of hidden homeless has increased due to an increased reluctance of people to stay in hostels where they will be exposed to drink and drugs. There have also been problems of bullying in hostels. A further problem in the homeless official figures is that they do not include those who are denied access to welfare payments because they do not meet residency criteria set out by the Government.

Another problem with the homeless figures is the reality that a large number of homeless people are currently in prison. A report commissioned by the Probation and Welfare service and funded by the Department of Justice entitled 'A study of the number, profile and progression routes of homeless persons before the courts and in custody' (2005) found that one in four of the States approximately 3,200 inmates were homeless on committal to prison and that 54% of inmates had been homeless at some stage of their lives. The Howard League for Penal Reform in London released research on the 5th Jan 2006 stating that homelessness amongst young prisoners needs to be tackled as a matter of urgency. The report called on the Government urgently to review housing legislation in order to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping among young people who have been in prison. The Howard league stated that local authorities should have a statutory duty to house homeless young people when they are released from prison. It highlighted the importance of secure and stable housing to the successful resettlement of young men who have been in prison and the importance of housing in reducing reoffending. These are statements that are similar to calls that are being made over here.

The cost of providing high-quality accommodation in the private rented sector, with a support worker, is approximately €12,000 a year, while it costs €40,000 to provide an individual with supported community housing. This compares with the average cost of hospital psychiatric care of €120,000 a year and the cost of imprisonment in Ireland was €83,800 in 2004. It should be clear to government bureaucrats that it is far more economical to adequately support and house homeless people rather than leave a costly and vicious cycle that many homeless people face. The government needs to begin to put resources at ending the vicious cycle that many homeless people fall into rather than massaging figures and failing to adequately address the needs of homeless people. It would be money better spent rather than the resources spent on their PR consultants.