Senior Citizen Nearly Beaten To Death in Downtown LA By Transient (Los Angeles: felons, compensation)

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkyPunks

Not arguing that other countries have a better grasp on these sorts of problems, but...

Fact-checking: Japan is not one of them. There is a rapidly growing homeless population in Japan's major cities. Social stigma and deep shame keeps them from begging, and they make encampments in out of sight areas - that is, a tourist is less likely to run into them. The Japanese government allows the to make encampments, but provides little to no services for them, so it's not uncommon for homeless in Japan to die on the streets, especially during cold winters. This is a source of public embarrassment for the country, so the issue is largely swept under the rug - hence why you might reasonably believe that the problem doesn't exist. It does.

Interesting.

I just came across this too , which is really interesting. There are thousands of people in Japan actually living in internet cafes because they can't afford apartments.
Internet Cafe Refugees » Japan's Disposable Workers

[tan clutch]

Question: I'm kind of interested in the Little Tokyo area, so I've signed up for Trulia emails for the 90012 zip. And when I get a listing for a condo in the area and I look at the little Trulia crime map, I see that Little Tokyo is somewhat crime free. But Skid Row is right below it and it's full of crime, and there is plenty of crime in the downtown neighborhoods west of Skid Row. It looks like Alameda Street is kind of a dividing line? Why do the Skid Rowvians go west but not east?

[reen79]

this is horrible....a lot of senior citizens been getting attacked lately....my dad is 76 and thank god he is very healthy and active and can probably beat the crap out of someone half his age....just sad that because they are elderly they get targeted.....your not safe anywhere anymore....

[SandyCo]

Institutionalize them where exactly? The mental hospitals like the one that used to be in Camarillo were closed a long time ago, courtesy of Ronald Reagan. We've all seen how well imprisonment works; it's an endless cycle of arrest, jail, and release.

We need to bring back the mental hospitals for the homeless who are obviously insane, especially if they're dangerous and insane!

Originally Posted by NyWriterdude

Give them treatment. If they refuse institutionalize them. And further address the root causes of long term homelessness.

California pre Affordable Healthcare Act had limited MED-CAL. You had to be under 21, over 65, pregnant, blind or the parent of 5 children. So this lack of insurance lead many struggle people with serious mental health issues with no real way of getting help.

That's a big reason there are so many homeless. Another issue is that the minimum wage was ridiculously low. At least that has been addressed by recent legislation. Other reforms need to be made to the criminal justice and social service systems.

Resources for homeless, including permanent housing need to be scattered across the state.

Lastly, if homeless people are given realistic housing options, ARREST those who do not want to comply with them. The courts are preventing cops from arresting people in those tents outside on the street on Skid Row. This should not be tolerated.

I was demonized by certain people for suggesting appealing and getting rid of the court ruling that prevents the police from taking action against the homeless people sleeping in tarps outside Skid Row. Clearly they are a danger and will remain so until they are dealt with on multiple fronts. And part of that has to be the police. Other changes in providing them with housing, greater assistance in applying for SSI, food stamps, and med-cal, for those who become stable refer them to job training or education, etc. For those that cannot get better they need to be placed in mental hospitals.

It is inhumane and unsafe to allow this to take place.

[jamills21]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

Institutionalize them where exactly? The mental hospitals like the one that used to be in Camarillo were closed a long time ago, courtesy of Ronald Reagan. We've all seen how well imprisonment works; it's an endless cycle of arrest, jail, and release.

We need to bring back the mental hospitals for the homeless who are obviously insane, especially if they're dangerous and insane!

Yeah, it's a pretty tough situation. The Book, "One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" pretty much set the stage for what we see today. Fact is conditions in psychiatric hospitals back then were deplorable and the compassionate care approach became the more popular option. A couple of court decisions later and we effectively legalized insane people making decisions for themselves. Which is crazy (no pun intended) but there is that grey area of who should be institutionalized.

[Teckeeee]

I was sad to hear they are closing Fairview in Costa Mesa. I know a couple of people that volunteered there many years back and the clients were treated pretty well honestly, if you saw what they dealt with.

[NyWriterdude]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

Institutionalize them where exactly? The mental hospitals like the one that used to be in Camarillo were closed a long time ago, courtesy of Ronald Reagan. We've all seen how well imprisonment works; it's an endless cycle of arrest, jail, and release.

We need to bring back the mental hospitals for the homeless who are obviously insane, especially if they're dangerous and insane!

Yes there should be mental hospitals for those resistant to treatment.

With that said that does not let the socioeconomic issues that created a number of disturbed people off the hook. Those root causes HAVE to be addressed. California until the Affordable Health Care Act did not give Med-Cal to those under 21 or over 65 unless they were blind or pregnant. Lack of medical care, help for mental health issues or addiction issues is a big part of creating this disaster (other problems are issues with the job and the housing market). Los Angeles and California both admit that they need long term housing solutions to deal with the matter, among other problems.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by tan clutch

Question: I'm kind of interested in the Little Tokyo area, so I've signed up for Trulia emails for the 90012 zip. And when I get a listing for a condo in the area and I look at the little Trulia crime map, I see that Little Tokyo is somewhat crime free. But Skid Row is right below it and it's full of crime, and there is plenty of crime in the downtown neighborhoods west of Skid Row. It looks like Alameda Street is kind of a dividing line? Why do the Skid Rowvians go west but not east?

My guess is that the long time Japanese residents wouldn't tolerate 'Skid Row' type behavior in the neighborhoods they have lived in forever.
I was in the arts district recently and it looks pretty clean for downtown and not the same type of homeless scene you see in other parts of Downtown L.A

Lot's of downtown also has private security too...which is what saved this senior citizens life.

It's kind of nuts that you can be right in the jewelry district where people spend about $3 BILLION a year on diamonds and jewelry and you have the skid row crazies like this guy that savagely attacked the senior citizen right there.

Such a dichotomy.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by NyWriterdude

Give them treatment. If they refuse institutionalize them. And further address the root causes of long term homelessness.

California pre Affordable Healthcare Act had limited MED-CAL. You had to be under 21, over 65, pregnant, blind or the parent of 5 children. So this lack of insurance lead many struggle people with serious mental health issues with no real way of getting help.

That's a big reason there are so many homeless. Another issue is that the minimum wage was ridiculously low. At least that has been addressed by recent legislation. Other reforms need to be made to the criminal justice and social service systems.

Resources for homeless, including permanent housing need to be scattered across the state.

Lastly, if homeless people are given realistic housing options, ARREST those who do not want to comply with them. The courts are preventing cops from arresting people in those tents outside on the street on Skid Row. This should not be tolerated.

I was demonized by certain people for suggesting appealing and getting rid of the court ruling that prevents the police from taking action against the homeless people sleeping in tarps outside Skid Row. Clearly they are a danger and will remain so until they are dealt with on multiple fronts. And part of that has to be the police. Other changes in providing them with housing, greater assistance in applying for SSI, food stamps, and med-cal, for those who become stable refer them to job training or education, etc. For those that cannot get better they need to be placed in mental hospitals.

It is inhumane and unsafe to allow this to take place.

It really is a double standard... there are no single men shelters here... there are family and battered women shelters... the local Police Chief said the only option if the problem is severe enough is to pick them up.

The County Mental Hospital is nearby and they are always releasing patients after the 72 hour hold... some actually asked to go in... 100% true... they can appreciate a 72 hour stay with food and chance to get out of the weather and cleaned up...

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

It really is a double standard... there are no single men shelters here... there are family and battered women shelters... the local Police Chief said the only option if the problem is severe enough is to pick them up.

The County Mental Hospital is nearby and they are always releasing patients after the 72 hour hold... some actually asked to go in... 100% true... they can appreciate a 72 hour stay with food and chance to get out of the weather and cleaned up...

Not good there is a double standard.

I know it's similar with welfare benefits and section 8 , if you have kids you qualify for a lot more than if you are just someone that is struggling.

Likely the reason that a lot of the people we see on the streets are single men.