When asked what they thought of when hearing the word, "homeless,"" some college students responded with "dirty and stinky,"" "poor and won't do anything about it,"" and "people that did not try hard in their lives"" (Morgan Survey). Yet, according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, "homelessness"" is defined as [a state in which] an individual lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Often times, homeless people are stereotyped in the media. Television shows such as "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Doogie Howser, M.D." portray them as "crazy criminals " and "useless and lazy human beings. Television shows like these are excellent examples of how uneducated some people are about the homeless culture. The first misconception about the homeless is that they are criminals. For example, in an episode of "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" that aired in 2006, a homeless man was accused of the brutal rape and murder of a mother and daughter. At the beginning of the episode, the homeless man, Andrew Munch, is automatically the first suspect. The detectives take him in for questioning, asking if he is a "pervert who lives in a box"" (Uncle"). They also suggest that he is crazy because as one detective says, "There is just not something right about these people"" (Uncle"). What is inaccurate about what they said is that it is impossible for someone to categorize every homeless individual as crazy or a criminal.
People make these assumptions not knowing that a large percentage of them are victims themselves. During a survey of homeless women, 25 percent of them stated that they left their prior residence to escape domestic violence (Who is Homeless?"). These people had two choices: endure an abusive relationship or leave their home and try to survive on the streets alone (Who is Homeless"). For example, on an episode of "World of Jenks," Andrew Jenks lives life as a homeless person for a week to disprove some of the stereotypes.
