This book examines societal attitudes toward homelessness and vagrancy. The author begins with a historical overview tracing the evolution of the vagrancy problem. She argues that the biggest factor in the last century has been the effects of the Industrial Revolution, with its disruption of traditional patterns of employment and the creation of a new class of unskilled and semi-skilled workers. The author surveys the subsequent attempts to deal with the problem of vagrancy through harsh laws and the provision of shelters. She argues that these measures have failed to address the underlying causes of vagrancy effectively. Laws and shelters have pushed vagrants into a vicious cycle of destitution and despair. The book concludes by examining successful vagrancy relief experiments in other countries and by offering suggestions for dealing with the problem in Britain.

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