Finding homeless youth: Patterns based on geographical area and number of homeless episodes

A census of homeless youth was conducted in locations across Los Angeles County, California. Building on previous research that has focused on homeless youth in cruise areas, the authors examined demographic and behavioral differences between homeless youth in cruise and noncruise areas. Youth in cruise areas were more likely than youth in noncruise areas to be older, to have been away from home longer, to have recently visited community-based agencies, and were likely to have resided in shelters and less likely to attend school. These data suggest possible selection bias in earlier studies that relied primarily on homeless youth from cruise areas.
Author: 
Witkin,Andrea L.
Milburn,Norweeta G.
Rotheram-Borus,Mary Jane
Batterham,Philip
May,Susanne
Brooks,Ronald
Notes: 
Accession Number: 17994285; Witkin, Andrea L. 1Milburn, Norweeta G. 1Rotheram-Borus, Mary Jane 1Batterham, Philip 1May, Susanne 1Brooks, Ronald 1; Affiliations: 1: Center for Community Health, Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California, Los Angeles.; Source Information: Sep2005, Vol. 37 Issue 1, p62; Subject Term: DEMOGRAPHIC surveysSubject Term: HOMELESS youthSubject Term: HOMELESSNESSSubject Term: TEENAGERS; Subject Term: CALIFORNIASubject Term: LOS Angeles County (Calif.); Author-Supplied Keyword: homeless youthAuthor-Supplied Keyword: cruise areaAuthor-Supplied Keyword: Los Angeles homelessAuthor-Supplied Keyword: homelessness; Number of Pages: 23p; DOI: 10.1177/0044118X04272811; Document Type: Article
Reprint Status: 
IN FILE
Start Page: 
62
End Page: 
84
Journal/Periodical Name: 
Youth Society
Volume: 
37
Issue: 
1
Abstract: 
Cruise areas are urban, inner-city areas characterized by high rate of drug use and sex work. When doing research on homeless youth, they the most common type of area for researchers to draw their sample from. This study looked a differences between youth found in cruise areas and non-cruise areas in Los Angeles County. They found that homeless youth in cruise areas were more likely than youth in non-cruise areas to be older, to have utilized social service services recently, to have been away from home longer, to have stayed in a shelter, and less likely to be in school.
Topic Areas: 
Adolescent / High School; Underserved Populations
Reference Type: 
JOUR
Reference ID: 
7
Publication Date: 
2005/09