Homeless Youth In The Film 'Bus 174'

The documentary Bus 174 explores how Brazilian society’s treatment of their homeless youth and the lack of a well-trained police force led to the hijacking/ hostage incident of the titular bus. The perpetrator, Sandro Rosa Nascimento, was revealed to be one of the many youths who grew up on the streets of Brazil. Life as a street child was rough, with the lack of aid and the surplus of prejudice against them. It certainly did not help that the police were brutal towards all street kids – physically assaulting the children whether it be in the center of town or in subhuman prisons. Plagued by his strong desire to be seen rather than continue to be ignored by society, Sandro staged this horrid incident, and he basked in the attention. For him, even if the attention was “bad,” it was still a better alternative to being disregarded by society. Maintaining a hostage situation for hours, he refused to free the hostages until his demands were met. Nearing the end, he decided to leave the bus, holding a girl up as he disembarked. Moments later, the incident …show more content…
Solutions must combat the stigma society bears against the children of the street, aiding them in finding ways to lead a changed life, rather than condemn them for circumstances beyond their control. Youth homelessness is not a problem that will disappear overnight, and these “invisible” children need society to provide ongoing, long-term support, whether it is in the form of employment aid, health care or permanent residence. As this issue appears worldwide, international cooperation along with domestic work is crucial, especially in the spreading of sustainable, viable long-term resolutions. When global youth homelessness is stemmed, the violent incidents that take are born from this issue such as Bus 174 can be cut at the roots, preventing further