When being homeless is a crime
August 19th 2009 17:08
In the United States, about one-third of the adult homeless population have served their country in the Armed Services. Thirty-nine percent of homeless citizens report some form of mental health problem, and 20 to 25 percent meet criteria for serious mental illnesses.
Homelessness is often looked upon as something preventable. The faces of the homeless presented on television are often those of junkies and drunks and runaway teens. But, the fact is that in many cases, due to lack of resources or an out of control spiral of circumstances, more and more people are ending up living on America's streets. With unemployment numbers continuing to rise, it is likely that the number of people unable to provide themselves with adequate housing will increase.
Further, the most rapidly growing population among the homeless are families with children.
Which is why the following information is so disturbing. In San Francisco, homelessness has been determined to be a crime. Laws and ordinances have been passed criminalizing most anything that a homeless person would need to do to survive, and in some cases, have been brutally enforced. These laws are now being emulated in other cities, while little is being done to assist people or prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place.
Now, I don't claim to be an expert on solving the homeless crisis. And I certainly don't think that this is a Left or Right issue. How we treat "the least of these" is a moral issue. In my view, it is a Civil Rights issue. Something must be done.
In San Francisco, money was provided to the city by HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) to prevent or address homelessness. Unfortunately,it is widely believed that most of these funds have been misused.
However, they seem to have no problem using city funds to terrorize the homeless sleeping on sidewalks. San Francisco's dirty little secret has been caught on camera by angry citizens.
It seems that their way of solving the homeless problem is to spray them with water cannons mounted on a truck that drives up and down the city streets. In one video, you'll see a homeless man who was sleeping under a box getting blasted by water. In the second, you'll see a much closer view. In the final video, you'll hear one Vet's personal story of the treatment he received as a homeless man.
To spray water at human beings to clean them off of the streets as though they were refuse or cockroaches is deplorable, cruel, unforgivable, inhumane, and the height of shameful. I'm sad for my Country when I see things like this.
You can find a lot more information about the criminalization of the homeless at the following site: Justice is Homeless
Further sources:
National Coalition for the Homeless
Overview of Homelessness - Dept. of Veterans Affairs
National Mental Health Information Center
Homelessness is often looked upon as something preventable. The faces of the homeless presented on television are often those of junkies and drunks and runaway teens. But, the fact is that in many cases, due to lack of resources or an out of control spiral of circumstances, more and more people are ending up living on America's streets. With unemployment numbers continuing to rise, it is likely that the number of people unable to provide themselves with adequate housing will increase.
Further, the most rapidly growing population among the homeless are families with children.
Robert Terrell photo
Which is why the following information is so disturbing. In San Francisco, homelessness has been determined to be a crime. Laws and ordinances have been passed criminalizing most anything that a homeless person would need to do to survive, and in some cases, have been brutally enforced. These laws are now being emulated in other cities, while little is being done to assist people or prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place.
Now, I don't claim to be an expert on solving the homeless crisis. And I certainly don't think that this is a Left or Right issue. How we treat "the least of these" is a moral issue. In my view, it is a Civil Rights issue. Something must be done.
In San Francisco, money was provided to the city by HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) to prevent or address homelessness. Unfortunately,it is widely believed that most of these funds have been misused.
However, they seem to have no problem using city funds to terrorize the homeless sleeping on sidewalks. San Francisco's dirty little secret has been caught on camera by angry citizens.
It seems that their way of solving the homeless problem is to spray them with water cannons mounted on a truck that drives up and down the city streets. In one video, you'll see a homeless man who was sleeping under a box getting blasted by water. In the second, you'll see a much closer view. In the final video, you'll hear one Vet's personal story of the treatment he received as a homeless man.
To spray water at human beings to clean them off of the streets as though they were refuse or cockroaches is deplorable, cruel, unforgivable, inhumane, and the height of shameful. I'm sad for my Country when I see things like this.
You can find a lot more information about the criminalization of the homeless at the following site: Justice is Homeless
Further sources:
National Coalition for the Homeless
Overview of Homelessness - Dept. of Veterans Affairs
National Mental Health Information Center
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Comment by The Rusty Can
Everything
Comment by Natalina
My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog
Comment by Cheryl J
Rhythmatism
Budget Centsability
I used to live in a town that had a tried to be proactive with its homeless problem. It had a history as a poor town and had its share of displaced people. I was so proud of our town council. Next to the council chambers they built a public shower that was open 24 hours a day (it was right across from the police station so didn't attract vandals).
There are also public health bylaws in place to stop restaurants from giving away leftovers and they changed it so that restaurants that wanted to participate could donate food. I'm not talking about leftovers from plates but anything left that hadn't been sold at the end of the lunch or evening meals. They helped with funding for shelters.
They showed that all people can and should be treated as human beings.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Everyone should be horrified by this.
Comment by Natalina
My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog
I understand that "panhandling" is annoying, but anit-panhandling laws are just another way of criminalizing homelessness, because when you're down and out and you can't afford to eat, and the city where you live cannot meat your needs, you have no one to turn to but your fellow man.
Comment by IandMe
But homelessness being a crime in and of itself, is the most appalling thing I've ever heard and to watch police, who are there to "serve and protect" everyone allow, no, participate in this inhumanity and outright cruelty is simply beyond words.
I am more than saddened by our country, I ashamed of it when this happens.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Business News
i think its a multi-faceted issue, there needs to be free emergency accommodation, affordable long-term living solutions, accessible social welfare payments, financial management and debt reduction services, affordable health services, free drug and alcohol counseling, free mental health counseling, affordable medication
law-makers need to realise noone is homeless for the fun of it, and provide a system that puts a roof over everyones head
Comment by IandMe
In so many ways you are right, in others they are, unfortunately not feasible.
That said, the billions, no trillions spent bailing out large, mismanaged companies that should have been allowed to go into bankruptcy, and been sold to whoever could manage then properly. Allowing corporate executives to give themselves huge salaries and even larger bonuses when their companies are going under is also absurd.
But most importantly the money that was spent on these bailouts could have provided medical care for every man, woman and child in this country, it could have also put a roof over the head of all the homeless.
I call that mismanagement by our corrupt and inefficient government. Keep them out of business and make them do their jobs, help the people, don't hinder them at every turn.
Comment by DOGIM
Comment by Natalina
My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog
Hey btw DOGIM, I gave you a clandestine shout out on EI today. KIIICK ASSES!
Natalina has a tasty treat to whet your whistle….
Comment by cheap bras