Front Cover of Book

So the front cover of my book is going to be metallic, as well as the spine and back of the book. I am getting the  text engraved to add a sense of importance to the product. It will be a tough cover for what is just a book but the connotations carry a lot more meaning. The metallic element makes the pages seem encased, thus giving the reader a real sense of revealing stories that are not necessarily meant to be read.

The first page of the book will also have the design of the front cover in black and white, as many books do in the commercial market.

Pagination of Final Book

I am making a B.L.A.D as a final outcome for my project. Here is the breakdown of the pages:

• 8 Profiles. Each profile will use 3 pages.  8 x 3 = 24
• Contents page x 1
• Introduction x 1
• Focus on the Volunteers x 4
• Thankyou page x 1
• Ralph Millward dedication page x 1

And with 10 blank pages between each profile it would make my book page count 102.

The wieght of the blank pages will be 150gsm, with the pages for the profiles being a mix of 110gsm and 150gsm. With this in mind I can work out the thickness of the book and begin the production of my metal book cover.

The Unequal Homeless

Front and back cover to recent book used for my current case study. Its draws on very interesting points relating to homelessness and gender.

The Unequal Homeless: Men on the Streets, Women in their Place

Book written by Joanne Passaro

"The Unequal Homeless explores the persistence, as opposed to the occurrence, of homelessness. With this focus, which is absent in most of the contemporary homelessness literature, the author shows how cultural expressions of beliefs about gender difference help to perpetuate the homelessness of particular groups of people in New York City.

The people who are persistently homeless in New York are, overwhelmingly, black men. The reason, Passaro contends, is that homelessness is not simply an economic predicament, but a cultural and moral location as well. Remaining homeless is a very different process from that of becoming homeless.

Based on field research in New York City, The Unequal Homeless examines the ways that gender, race and family status of homeless persons help determine their chances of survival. The author concludes that unless we abandon social and personal practices that give preferential treatment to homeless women--who are seen as "belonging" at home and hence are housed--homeless men will never escape the streets while homeless women will do so only if they embody traditional ideals of womanhood."

Reference: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1801473.The_Unequal_Homeless

Gender-specific Correlates of Sex Trade among Homeless and Marginally Housed Individuals in San Francisco

By Sheri D. Weiser, Samantha E. Dilworth, Torsten B. Neilands, Jennifer Cohen, David R. Bangsberg and Elise D. Riley

"Objective: Sex exchange is a well-established risk factor for HIV infection. Little is known about how correlates of sex trade differ by biologic sex and whether length of homelessness is associated with sex trade. We conducted a cross-sectional study among a sample of 1,148 homeless and marginally housed individuals in San Francisco to assess correlates of exchanging sex for money or drugs. Key independent variables included length of homelessness; use of crack, heroin or methamphetamine; HIV status; and sexual orientation. Analyses were restricted by biologic sex. In total, 39% of women and 30% of men reported a lifetime history of sex exchange. Methamphetamine use and greater length of homelessness were positively associated with a history of sex trade among women, while heroin use, recent mental health treatment, and homosexual or bisexual orientation were significantly associated with sex trade for men. Crack use was correlated with sex trade for both genders. Correlates of sex trade differ significantly according to biologic sex, and these differences should be considered in the design of effective HIV prevention programs. Our findings highlight the critical need to develop long-term services to improve housing status for homeless women, mental health services for homeless men, and drug treatment services for homeless adults involved in sex work."

Reference: http://www.springerlink.com/content/j834785043m2kg3p/

A comparison of homeless men and women: Different populations, different needs

By Carol S. North and Elizabeth M. Smith

"Homeless women are very different from homeless men, but few studies have reported data separately on them or compared them directly with men. This report on a study of 600 homeless men and 300 homeless women in St. Louis presents comparison data on these populations. The pivotal difference between homeless men and women was that unlike men, most women had young children in their custody. The women were also younger than men, more likely to be members of a minority group, and more often dependent on welfare. They had been homeless for a shorter period and spent less time in unsheltered locations. Compared to men, they had less frequent histories of substance abuse, incarceration, and felony conviction. Solitary women (without children with them), compared to women with children in their custody, were more likely to be white, had been homeless longer, and more often had a history of alcoholism or schizophrenia. On most variables, values for solitary women lay some-where between those for men and for women with children. The population of homeless women is therefore heterogeneous, with at least two subgroups. These groups are likely to benefit from intervention programs that are designed to address their specific problems and needs, which are not necessarily the same as those of homeless men."


Reference: http://www.springerlink.com/content/w3400u1ru0100v57/

Homeless mentally disordered offenders and violent crimes

By Daniel A. Martell

"This study examines the prevalence of homelessness in a cross-sectional sample of 150 patients retained in a maximum-security hospital for mentally disordered offenders in New York City. The homeless mentally ill comprise only 2% of the city's mentally ill population, yet they account for 50% of the admissions to this forensic facility from the community. Compared to population base rate estimates, forensic patients are homeless at 25 times the rate found in the rest of the city's mentally disordered population and are 50 times more likely to be homeless than the general population. Further, there is a significant association between homelessness at the time of the instant offense and charges for violent crimes, after controlling for age, sex, race, and diagnosis. These data suggest that homelessness greatly increases the risk that mentally disordered persons will be forensically hospitalized and is closely associated with indictments for violent criminal behavior. Alternative explanations for these findings are discussed, emphasizing risk, vulnerability, and criminalization perspectives."


Reference: http://www.springerlink.com/content/mm73u15030l34375/

Perceptions of and reactions to the homeless: A survey of fourth-grade, high school, and college students in a small Midwestern community

By Mark A. Barnett, Steven W. Quackenbush and Lisa K. Pierce


"A total of 459 fourth-graders, high school students, and undergraduates completed a Homelessness Questionnaire developed for use in this study. Although participants generally expressed positive and supportive attitudes toward the homeless, attributing homelessness to either social maladjustment (e.g., drug problem) or negative characteristics (e.g., laziness) within the homeless was positively associated with “fear of and anger toward the homeless” for all groups of participants. In addition, perceptions of and reactions to the homeless were influenced by both the participants’ gender and age group. Although high school and college students’ interest in helping the homeless was associated with various attitudes and reactions (e.g., feelings of sympathylsupport), their indication that they had ever helped homeless people (either directly or indirectly) was consistently associated only with the acknowledgement that their mother and father had ever helped homeless people (either directly or indirectly). Among these older participants, homelessness in the United States was rated as a more serious problem at the end of the questionnaire than at the beginning."


Reference: http://www.springerlink.com/content/p325g70505501808/

Teenage Paparazzo: I AM Hollywood Homeless

An interesting insight into the lives of the homeless community in the celebrity capital of the world.

Page Samples

Sample shots of page examples. First page is printed on Chromatico Digital Clear 150gsm. Second page is printed on Chromatico Digital Clear 110gsm. Third page is printed on Premium White 120gsm.

Becky Blanton - Life experience as a homeless woman

Very inspiring talk. And a realisation that being homeless is very much a situation that anyone could find themself in.

Westcliff Baptist Church. Christmas Service

Ralph Millward.

Ralph Millward was murdered by three drunk teenagers in May 2009 and was a good friend of many poeple that attend the Westbourne Baptist Church. His Funeral was held where I have been going for the Open Breakfasts and I am extremely fortunate that Tommo and Paul talked to me about the much loved man. The video below is coverage of his funeral, in which hundreds were in attendance.

My project and book will be a fitting dedication towards Ralph.