Introduction -- Activists and the emergence of homelessness as a social problem in Washington, D.C. -- Government officials as claimsmakers -- The role of the media in constructing homelessness -- The interactions of claimsmakers and issues -- How many homeless? experts, advocates and the struggle over numbers -- Building the moral momentum for federal action -- Something must be done: the outcomes of social problem construction -- Fifteen years later: the unintended consequences of social problem construction -- Postscript -- Appendix: considering the constructionists approach.

et 5/18/2005 Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-248) and index.