Amy M. Donley

Murder in Black A Media Distortion Analysis of Homicides in Baltimore in 2010

Crime stories, particularly homicide, are extremely prevalent in the media. The current study builds on previous literature by examining a nearly homogenous victim population (N = 223) to identify salient predictors of newsworthiness, particularly celebrated coverage, using The Baltimore Sun, the city’s largest newspaper. Contrary to prior research, in this analysis, neither race nor gender were found to be consistent significant factors in receiving media coverage. Various factors, including females, older victims, White victims, and homicides by stabbings, asphyxiation, or other circumstances, were found to be indicators of several types of celebrated coverage.

Safer Outside: A Qualitative Exploration of Homeless People's Resistance to Homeless Shelters

Unsheltered or “street” homeless are an under-researched subset of the homeless population although they account for 37% of the total number of homeless people. The current study examines the lives of homeless people who reside in camps in the woods of East Orange County, Florida. Data for this study were collected via five focus groups with a total of 39 unsheltered homeless people. It is clear from this research that unsheltered homeless people have unique needs that differ from those of the sheltered homeless and that social services will need to change many aspects of the way services are provided to address these unique needs.

FOR RICHER OR FOR POORER: THE IMPACT OF STATE-LEVEL LEGISLATION ON MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, AND OTHER OUTCOMES

As a part of welfare reform, states throughout the country have enacted legislation to promote marriage. Lawmakers believe that by promoting marriage, the states will achieve lower divorce rates and lower rates of cohabitation by converting cohabitating couples into more stable married households, which in turn will lead to fewer women and children utilizing welfare programs. To determine the impact of state-level legislation, we analyze state-level 1990 and 2000 data in light of sixteen different state-level policy variables that were designed to increase marriage rates, decrease divorce rates, or otherwise have “pro-family” outcomes. This analysis shows few if any compelling differences between states that have enacted these various measures and those that have not.

“Homeless Killer”: An Analysis of the Media’s Portrayal of the Victims of a Serial Killer

ABSTRACT Previous research has examined the newsworthiness of homicide victims and explored many characteristics of victims. To date, there is no research examining homeless homicide victims even though homeless individuals are more susceptible to being victims of violent crimes. This study examines the online media coverage of four homeless homicide victims murdered by a serial killer in 2012 to ascertain how housing status impacts media coverage. Specifically, this study explores through content analysis what kind of coverage homeless individuals receive and how they are portrayed. Findings suggest that housing status is a salient characteristic in the newsworthiness of victims.

Best practices for emergency shelters that serve male populations

ABSTRACT Homeless men represent the majority of homeless people. While federal funding priorities have shifted to permanent housing solutions, quality emergency shelters are vital in communities to help these men. To determine the best practices in emergency shelter delivery to homeless men based on top agency representatives’ opinions. Leaders from 21 emergency shelters that serve single men throughout the U.S.A. were interviewed about their facilities, their opinions on the best practices of emergency shelters, and barriers that single men face in exiting homelessness. The main goal of emergency shelters is to offer a welcoming environment. Emergency shelters try to offer a variety of services on-site, but find it difficult to offer medical and dental services at facilities with smaller budgets. Access to beds, showers, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, case management, and access to medical services are seen as vital to the success of the emergency shelter. These emergency shelters have many services in place to help the single male population. The most important services are ones that address the basic needs of human beings first: food, showers, beds, medical services, and storage. Mental health and breaking substance dependency are also priorities.

Senior Hunger The Importance of Quality Assessment Tools in Determining Need

Food insecurity is not a new phenomenon experienced by seniors living in the United States. In a recent report by Feeding America, approximately 4.8 million Americans over the age of 60 are food insecure. The findings from this study call for major policy and funding implications. Through semistructured, face-to-face interviews, this study found how the assessment tools determining the relative need for these seniors underestimate the scope of their experiences relating to food insecurity. The assessment tool used by this particular program is based on federally recommended questions. These same questions are used by agencies across the nation that receive federal funding. This is problematic as this study shows that the current assessment tool does not properly capture some of the barriers many older Americans are facing in trying to obtain food.

Comparing the Health of Relocated Public Housing Residents and Current Residents of a Historically Black Community: The Moderating Role of Social Cohesion

This study examined the effects of public housing relocation on the physical and mental health and overall self-reported health status of relocated residents. As a contrast, health outcomes of relocated residents were compared to residents of the larger community who did not live in public housing. The sample was drawn from a historically Black community (HBC) near central Florida. Data used for this study were collected as part of the Choices Neighborhood Initiatives’ grant. In several regression models, the moderating effects of social cohesion on the relationship between resident status and health were assessed. Results showed relocated public housing residents reported more physical and mental health problems and poorer self-reported health compared to current residents of the broader community. In the fully adjusted models, social cohesion moderated the association between resident status and mental health. Our results suggest higher levels of social cohesion within public housing environments may be protective of poor mental health postrelocation for relocated residents.

Violence, Criminalization, and the Homeless

Homeless people are sometimes the perpetrators and quite often the victims of crime and violence. This article reviews the available research on this topic, focusing mainly on studies conducted in the United States. Homeless teens, women, the mentally ill, and the substance-abusive are shown to be especially high-risk subpopulations. Random acts of violence committed against homeless people are evidently on the rise, both in the United States and around the world. Around the world, many communities have responded to the rise in homelessness by criminalizing homeless behaviors. Unfortunately these measures do not assist people in exiting homelessness.

Food Deserts in US Cities

Food insecurity is a worldwide problem experienced by millions of people. A specific manifestation of food insecurity has been documented in cities of the United States. It is related to the so-called food deserts, urban areas where individuals make up for the lack of supermarkets located in their vicinity by eating at nearby fast food restaurants and shopping at local convenience stores where they buy generally unhealthy food. The number of individuals living in food deserts in the United States, or in other countries, is unknown because there is no standard definition for the term ‘food desert.’ Food deserts are viewed as a form of constructed inequality because their distribution is not an accidental, naturally occurring phenomenon. For local officials to address the issue of food deserts is of the utmost importance, as there is a need for alternative ways to supply urban residents with nutritious, affordable foods.