06—Homelessness mnemonic. In the matter of homelessness, I have a mnemonic.
When we first started reading about homelessness as a big social problem forty years ago, I had a friend who was a social worker—he was actually involved, as a salaried professional, in dealing with homelessness.
My friend taught me a mnemonic which, he said, encapsulated the entire homeless issue. I shall now teach you that same mnemonic, as a public service. You're welcome!
Here is my friend's mnemonic encapsulating homelessness: "CATO-4321." Got that? "CATO"—a "C," an "A," a "T," and an "O." Then, "4, 3, 2, 1."
The first part, the "CATO," gives the four categories of homeless people; the second part, "4-3-2-1," gives their relative proportions. I'll take the four categories in turn.
"C" stands for "Crazy." I apologize for that: It's not a very sympathetic way to speak about people with mental-health issues. This was forty years ago, when we spoke more bluntly. The "C" of "CATO" goes with the "4" of "4321": Forty percent of the homeless are afflicted with mental-health issues.
Next, "A." That stands for "Addicts," and it goes with the "3." Thirty percent of homeless people are drug addicts. Alcoholics may be in there, too—I forget.
Next after "C" and "A" comes "T." That stands for "Tramps." This word isn't much used in American English; my friend and I were living in England. I think the nearest equivalent here is "hobos."
This population of homeless, the "T's"—who of course are twenty percent—these are people who like living on the streets. They're not crazy and they're not drug addicts. Homelessness is their chosen lifestyle. They're the happy homeless.
Finally the "O's" at ten percent. "O" stands for "Out of luck." These street people are not crazy, they're not addicts, and they don't want to live on the streets. They just have no choice.
These are people you or I would recognize as normal, but they've had some terrible reversal of fortune. Lost their job, lost their house, wife left them and took the kids, no family to fall back on for support. It happens. There but for the grace of God …
After he'd explained his little mnemonic to me, my 1979 friend added the following. Quote from memory.
Of all those four groups, the only one that Social Services can do much for in a permanent way is the "O's." They want to be helped; and when you try to help them, they co-operate. The Crazies and the Addicts mostly won't co-operate, because they mostly can't; the Tramps won't co-operate because they don't want to.
That was forty years ago. Probably the social science on homelessness has made great forward strides since then. Probably my friend's thumbnail analysis is hopelessly out of date. Any Radio Derb listeners with more up-to-date knowledge of homelessness are welcome to email in and enlighten me. I'm always happy to have my understanding improved—honestly.
I must say, though, that my very occasional encounters with actual homeless people in and around New York City suggest that "CATO-4321" is still a pretty good working mnemonic.