THE ALCOHOLIC'S NOMADIC LIFE IN URBAN CENTERS IS INVESTIGATED ALONG WITH SOCIETY'S REACTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF HOMELESSNESS AND ALCOHOLISM. THREE LEVELS OF SOCIETY'S RESPONSE ARE THE INTERPERSONAL, IN WHICH PROFESSIONALS COMMENT ON THEIR WORK WITH HOMELESS MEN; THE INSTITUTIONAL, IN WHICH THE IDEOLOGIES AND OBJECTIVES OF SKID ROW ESTABLISHMENTS ARE SEEN, AND THE POLITICAL, IN WHICH SOCIAL POLICY IS OUTLINED. PREVALENT VIEWS OF DEALING WITH ALCOHOLISM ARE EXPLORED BY RESEARCH EXPERTS, PERSONNEL HANDLING THESE MEN, AND BY ALCOHOLICS THEMSELVES. PERSONAL ACCOUNTS ELUCIDATE STRATEGIES FOR SKID ROW SURVIVAL. THE INTERACTION OF THE ALCOHOL WITH POLICE OFFICERS, MAGISTRATES, AND PRISON PERSONNEL IS DESCRIBED. CONCLUDING POINTS OF VIEW EXAMINE ALCOHOLICS AND SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE CONTEXT OF PARTICULAR REHABILITATION STRUCTURES AND OFFER AN EXPLANATORY SOCIOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK IN TERMS OF SUBCULTURE, DEVIANT IDENTITY, AND SOCIAL CONTROL. ALSO EXPLAINED ARE THE METHODOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM, DEVIANCY THEORY AND THE INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE, EVALUATION OF PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AS A RESEARCH TECHNIQUE, AND LIMITATIONS OF THE METHODS. FIGURES AND TABLES ACCOMPANY THE TEXT. FOOTNOTES, A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND AN INDEX ARE INCLUDED. (RFC)