[Evan]

[ QUOTE ]
No, I honestly think most are driven to it by low paying jobs and lack of health care when they start to have issues with mental health or the like. Or addiction eats up their money and they scrape by on the streets.

But it seems like most homeless people are in their mid 30s.. is it safe to guess that at one time they had a 'regular' life?

[/ QUOTE ]
When I see homeless people I usually assume they fall into one of these groups:

1) Had a job that probably sucked but eventually got fired for whatever reason and couldn't pay their rent so they got evicted. These people are usually in their 30's or so, like the ones you mention.

2) Crazy kid that ran away from home and now has no money but has lots of other crazy kid friends that die each other's hair and hang out outside Duane Reade together. These ones are usually 16-20.

3) Old and insane, probably started out in group #1 but progressively got so much crazier that they now need their own distinction. The guy that puked in his cup that I posted about in the "most creative" thread falls into this group. These people are usually 50+ and I'm guessing they don't last long on the street, even by street people standards.

4) Woman that probably has a child without an active father who has some sort of addiction (drugs or alcohol) and lost her will to continue a "normal" life after the kid got taken away by social services. These people are typically 25-30, but can range younger and older.