!I 74-24,343 HINRICHS, Donald William, 1942- SOCIAL CONTROL, SKID ROW AND TOE URBAN RESCUE MISSION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1974 Sociology, general University Microfilms, A XEROX Company , Ann Arbor, Michigan 0 Copyright by Donald William Hinrichs 197^ THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. SOCIAL CONTROL, SKID ROW AND THE URBAN RESCUE MISSION1 AN EMPIRICAL STUDY DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University By Donald William Hinrichs, B.A.,A.M. The Ohio State University 197^ Approved by Reading Committeet Christen T. Jonassen Simon Dinitz Alfred C. Clarke Adviser Department or Sociology ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It would be impossible to acknowledge by name all of those who influenced and assisted in this research. There­ fore, I wish to generally thank each individual who helped or supported this project in any way. I am particularly grateful to all of those who consented to be interviewed and wish to acknowledge for special thanks the clients of Faith Mission who willingly opened up their lives so that we might better understand them. Additionally, the contributions of several indi­ viduals are deserving of special recognition. Foremost, I wish to thank Christen T. Jonassen who as teacher, adviser and research chairman, provided me a solid base for completing the research and invaluable guidance throughout the preparation of this paper and my entire graduate career. To professors Simon Dinitz and Alfred C. Clarke I give thanks for continued support and guid­ ance. No finer teachers than these three have I had the pleasure of working with. It must be said that none of this research would have been possible without the permission and cooper- ii ation of Arthur Bayse, Executive Director of Faith Mission. I am sincerely grateful to him for the many hours he spent answering my questions and coordinating my activities. To all of the officers and directors of Faith Mission goes my appreciation for their approval and support. Tc my good frxends Barbara and Jchn Bardc go my warmest and sincerest thanks for putting up with me eating, sleeping and running in and out of their apartment during the period of my research. The fact that we are still good friends after several weeks of two disserta­ tions being worked on under one roof is sure evidence of the strength of our friendship. I should also like to thank Bob Maust and his wife Ruby for their assistance in interviewing and for their hospitality during my numerous excursions to Columbus from Gettysburg while completing this project. Thanks also to Jim Delong for his interviewing assistance and other kind acts that permitted me brief respites from the research schedule. Lastly, I wish to apologize to my daughter Terri Patricia and my wife, Martha, for the times we could not spend together because of this project and to thank them for their tolerance, understanding and love. Without these and my wife's "nimble fingers" I seriously doubt I would iii have completed this project so swiftly and successfully. I promise to be a better father and husband in the future. Because of their unselfish sacrifice, I dedicate this paper to Martha and Terri. iv VITA February 4, 194-2......... Born - Baltimore, Maryland 1964-................ B. A. , surama cum laude, Western Maryland College, Westminster, Maryland 1966-1968.............. Graduate Assistant, Department of Sociology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 1968............. ....... M.A. , University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 1968-1971 ........ Instructor in Sociology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 1971-1972................ Teaching Associate, Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1973-present.......... Instructor in Sociology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania FIELDS OF STUDY Major Fieldi Sociology Studies in Urban Sociology, Professor Christen T. Jonassen Studies in Criminology, Professor Simon Dinitz Studies in Social Organization, Professor Alfred C. Clarke TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................... ii VITA ................................ v LIST OF T A B L E S , , , . , ; . e9e , e,9 , s «e = = = = a . j.x Chapter I. INTRODUCTION................... 1 II. METHODOLOGY............................. 10 Introduction Collection and Analysis of Data 1. Participant Observation 2. Interviewing of Mission Directors and Analysis of Results 3. Interviewing of Selected Personnel of Local Organizations, Agencies and Businesses and Analysis of Results Interviewing of Clergymen and Others Active in Faith Mission and Data Analysis 5. Interviewing of Individual Church Member "Volunteers” and Analysis of Results 6. Interviewing of Skid Row Individuals and Analysis of Data 7. Secondary Data III. ORIGINS, NATURE AND PERSISTANCE OF SKID ROW ................................ 21 Introduction Problem Skid Row in Columbus, Ohio Conclusions vi Chapter Page IV. CHARACTERISTICS AND TYPES OF SKID ROW MEN ............... 37 Introduction Problem The Clients of Faith Mission 1. A Profile of the Clients Attending Faith Mission, July 26, 1973 2. Shelter Inhabitants, 1972 3. Transients and Residents Characterized 4. Portrait of a Mission Regular 5. Portrait of a Contemporary Hobo Conelusions V. SKID ROW AS A WAY OF L I F E ............... 92 Introduction Problem The Skid Row Subculture Re-evaluated Conelusions VI. SOCIETAL REACTION TO AND INTERACTION WITH SKID ROW AND ITS INHABITANTS ..... 118 Introduction Problem Perception of the Mission's Clients Conelusions VII. THE URBAN RESCUE MISSION ................ 150 Introduction Problem Faith Rescue Mission, Columbus, Ohio 1. History of Faith Mission 2. The Purpose of Faith Mission 3. The Churches and Volunteers and the Mission 4. Volunteer Attitudes Toward Faith Mission 5. The Clients and Faith Mission 6. Clergy, Clients and Conversions 7. Faith Mission and the Community; Its Usefulness and Linkages Conelusions vii Chapter Page VIII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 195 Limitations of the Research Summary and Discussion of Findings Significance to Sociological Theory Significance for Social Policy APPENDIX A ............................................. 212 B ............................................. 214 C ............................................. 215 D ............................................. 218 E ............................................. 219 F ..................... 220 G ............................................. 222 H ............................................. 224 I ................... 229 J ............................................. 235 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................. 249 viii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Comparison of Columbus, Ohio Census Tracts 21, 34 and 40, Selected Variables, 1970........................... 27 2. Offenses Known to the Police, 1972 Selected Census Tracts, Columbus, Ohio ...................................... 31 3. Public Intoxication, 1972, Selected Census Tracts, Columbus, O h i o ...... *,. 32 4. Clients Attending Faith Mission, July 26, 1973» By Race and S e x ........... 44 5. Clients Attending Faith Mission, July 26, 1973 By Age and Residence Status ..................... 4-6 6. Reasons for Attending Faith Mission, July 26, 2973* By Residence Status ..... 4-7 7. Nights Spent at Samaritan Shelter By Last Known Address, 1972 ....... 4-9 8. Computations for Analysis of Variance of Differences in Average Length of Stay at Faith Mission, 1972, By Residence Category ...................... 50 9. Number of Occasions of Shelter Use By Resident Categories, 1972 ........... 52 10. Computations for Analysis of Variance of Differences in Average Number of Occasions Spent at Faith Mission, 1972, By Residence C a t e g o r y ............ 53 ix Table Page 11. Number and Percent Distribution of Individuals Sheltered in 1972 Who Were Also Sheltered in 1971 and/or 1973* By Residence Category .................. 55 12. Age Distribution, Men Sheltered at Faith Mission, 1972, By Residence C a t e g o r y ............. 56 13. Computations for Analysis of Variance of Differences in Average Age of Men Sheltered at Faith Mission, 1972, By Residence Category .................. 57 14. Frequency of Attendance, Columbus Residents, By Age ............. 59 15. Frequency of Attendance, Ohio Residents, By Age .................. 59 16. Frequency of Attendance, Non-Ohio Residents, By Age ....................... 60 17. Frequency of Attendance, Columbus Residents, By Age ....................... 61 18. Frequency of Attendance, Ohio Residents, By Age ....... 61 19. Frequency of Attendance, Non-Ohio Residents, By Age ..... 62 20. Age Composition of Rescue Mission Clients, By Residence, Summer 1973 .... 63 21. Where Mission Clients Were Born and Grew U p .......... 66 22. Father's Occupation ........ 67 23. Profile of Mission Clients as Adolescents, By Residence ...... 69 24. Educational Attainment of Mission Clients, By Residence .................. 72 x Table Page 25. Age at Leaving Home, Mission Clients, By Residence .................. 7^ 26. Number of Years Ever-Married Mission Clients Lived With Their Wives ....... 75 27. Marital Status, Mission Clients, By Residence .................... 98 28s Status of Relations With Relatives, Mission Clients, By Residence .......... 99 29. Drinking Classification of Rescue Mission Clients, By Residence, Summer, 1973 ........................... 30. Arrests for Drinking, Mission Clients, By Residence ................