Anti-Social Patterns of Begging and Beggars

Begging is one of the oldest profession on earth. People who beg are amongst the most damaged and vulnerable people in our society. The vast majority are homeless; they suffer from a combination of poor skills, low income, poor housing, bad health, substance misuse and family breakdown. Begging is a cross-cutting issue that has implications across many different government strategies, including homelessness, anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder, health and drugs. Begging impacts on crime, increases the fear of crime, concerns the public and effects businesses, the retail trade and tourists. The book finds out the nature of erosion of social norms and cultural patterns among different groups of beggars who lived precariously at the margin of an urban society. It also describes the specific social, cultural and behavioural strategies by which the beggars managed to survive in their miserable socio-economic situation. It brings out the sub-culture of the beggars, in a situation of extreme poverty and social marginality.