Proof of ID: Building Access and Personhood in the Social Service Ecosystem Through Exchange

Abstract

Engaging in exchange fosters a sense of connectedness and contributes to the metaperception that one is part of a society. Being excluded from exchange is dehumanizing, leaving those who are excluded to feel disconnected and subhuman. Consumers experiencing deep poverty and homelessness are denied access to many aspects of the mainstream marketplace, necessitating their use of the social service ecosystem. A key currency to receive social services from government and nonprofit entities is a valid, government-issued photo identification (ID) document. Many consumers experiencing homelessness and deep poverty do not have a valid ID and are often denied access to the very services they depend on for their survival, services that were created for this purpose. The current work investigates the impact of ID documents on consumer access to the marketplace. Through the conceptual lens of personhood, findings indicate that ID documents increase access to services and contribute to the confidence and well-being of consumers experiencing deep poverty and homelessness. Public policy implications relating to social service access, “stop and frisk” policies, and how social service organizations can play an important role in (re)building personhood are discussed.