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1nevets..if someone breaks the law they should be arrested. But being mentally impaired is not a crime, and many homeless are. So why arrest them exactly? Being homeless is not a crime, so why arrest them? Sleeping on the street because you have no home, or are afraid of the shelters is not a crime. So why arrest them? Being poor/destitute/smelly is not a crime. So why arrest them?
Nobody is arguing arresting people for breaking the law. But America's answer to everything is, regardless of whether a law is broken, is "arrest him." And it ain't working!
It is against the law to sleep or live on public streets, public transit or public parks. It's a crime that destroys QOL.
It is also "against the law" to Jay walk. I am assuming you have done that and therefore should have been arrested? It is a crime that compromises our safety and QOL, right?
There is the reality of laws, and the implementation/enforcement of them. Which is why nobody gets arrested for Jay walking. And why a homeless guy on the street does not get arrested. Our society has determined that you should not be arrested for being homeless and sleeping on the street any more than Jay walking. And I agree.
It is against the law to sleep or live on public streets, public transit or public parks. It's a crime that destroys QOL.
I really think you need to understand the defination of Homelessness ... the condition and social category of people without a regular house or dwelling because they cannot afford, or are otherwise unable to maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence."
Please help me understand where the crime is being committed? I understand that you personally see it as unacceptable.. But there just is not any law to justify your statement.
And what do you think will happen? He will get a summons and then what? HE HAS NO HOME OR MONEY. He will get arrested and be back out on the street in the same spot the next day. Arresting homeless people wastes everyone's time, and taxpayers' money.
If you cannot help him into a mental health facility, assist him in finding housing/employment, all that arresting him does is waste time and money. Why do American's not understand this very simple concept? You can HELP people or incarcerate them...Americans choose the latter and then wonder why crime is so high, people are so poor, and so many people are in prison/have records!
Uh, could care less, If they did not come here LEGALLY and they do NOT pay the same taxes that I have to pay they should not be here AND they should be entitled to nothing from the government - especially nothing that my hard earned money has to pay for. They are here ILLEGALLY they should get Absolutely Nothing- If are tax dollars did NOT go to any illegals maybe we can be doing more for our OWN citizens-
The white construction/landscaping/restaurant/whatever business owners who hire these illegals don't pay taxes/health insurance/benefits since these illegals are under the table. They shouldn't benefit from government programs either (yet they still do) and be deported as well. It's always easier to blame the non-citizen.
It takes two to tango. If these people weren't exploiting illegals for cheap labor, illegals wouldn't have as much incentive to travel here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SobroGuy
Arresting homeless people wastes everyone's time, and taxpayers' money.
Exactly, if being homeless really were all that illegal, they'd all be locked up already.
They just pass right through the court system, wasting time and money that could be spent elsewhere.
If they actually do get locked up, theyy'll just sit in jail, have a warm place to stay and 3 square meals a day (courtesy of 1nevet's tax dollars). The previously quoted $20k a year per inmate was for 1996. I'm sure it's quite a bit more than that in 2010 (I've heard numbers as high as $60,000).
Enjoy. That's probably more than you spend on yourself or your children's college tuition per year.
There is a homeless guy that I frequently see around my neighborhood who is clearly an alcoholic. I know its wrong but I have entertained the thought of buying him a beer and dropping it off as I walk by. Obviously he is not going to turn his life around so if a beer brings a little happiness into his life who am I to judge? Anyways, I know that is not the right thing to do so I don't do it. I'm not sure what the answer is but it seems to me that the current social services we have in place such as homeless shelters etc aren't really helping as there are plenty of homeless people out there who don't seem to be making any improvements. As an able bodied male I don't really feel threatened by him but I do wonder what he has been through to make him give up on life. I try not to judge too harshly though as who knows.....I could be in his shoes one day if I was faced with the same circumstances.
Edit: An interesting documentary is a movie called Dark Days. It's about homeless people who lived in the Amtrak tunnels under NYC. They constructed little houses and even had working televisions by tapping power from the train tracks. The guy who made it befriended them and hung out with them frequently learning their stories and perspective on life.
Some parts of this thread reminded me of the lines from A Christmas Carol:
First Collector: At this festive time of year, Mr. Scrooge, it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute. Ebenezer: Are there no prisons? First Collector: Plenty of prisons. Ebenezer: And the union workhouses - are they still in operation? First Collector: They are. I wish I could say they were not. Ebenezer: Oh, from what you said at first I was afraid that something had happened to stop them in their useful course. I'm very glad to hear it. First Collector: I don't think you quite understand us, sir. A few of us are endeavoring to buy the poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. Ebenezer: Why?
I really think you need to understand the defination of Homelessness ... the condition and social category of people without a regular house or dwelling because they cannot afford, or are otherwise unable to maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence."
Please help me understand where the crime is being committed? I understand that you personally see it as unacceptable.. But there just is not any law to justify your statement.
ShayLove, much respect for you and your profession. In your opinion, does it seem like homelessness is the result of a Perfect Storm of precarious living arrangements (divorce, dysfunctional relationships) , unavailability of reasonably-priced housing in a given market, plus addiction, mental illness or other internal problems?
This may be way off-base, but I kind of feel that homelessness is an unfortunate knock-on effect of freedom and democracy (you don't have homeless people in totalitarian nations, because they're rounded up regardless of will or inclination).
Someone's comment about prison as the better alternative (3 meals a day, etc.) reminded me of an news item -- in Austria, it is against the law to utter nazi slogans or do the nazi salute. There's a homeless guy who stands in Stephansplatz, central Vienna, starting in November, and shouts Heil Hitler, while doing the salute. Of course he gets arrested, and the penalty is 4 months in jail. So he gets fed and housed until March, is released, and repeats the performance the following year.
You see a homeless man and the first thing that pops up in your head is to get him arrested? Why not ask him if he's hungry? or cold?
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