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Local police departments are using that Broken Window theory to harass the Homeless so they leave, or end up in jail. In my county, we don't have much crime, b
by icantdrive55 8y ago
Local police departments are using that Broken Window theory to harass the Homeless so they leave, or end up in jail.
In my county, we don't have much crime, but Homlessness was inching up there.
Hell, I live in Marin County. The enclave to the successful Founders. They make their wad, and many end up here. They like to "act" liberal.
Well, the cops basically harass the homeless. I have an aqqaintance who lives basically in a Scotch Broom thicket.
He told me the how the Coos are ticketing for everything. If you claim you didn't do one of these alleged crimes, they just come down on you harder. He said, I live in fear. I used to worry about dying on the streets with pneumonia; now I worry I will end up in San Quentin. 'Hell--maybe, I'd be better off?'
Marin County dosen's have a big crime problem, but Homlessness was inching up.
I recently saw a middle aged women commit the crime of sitting on a sidewalk. She just sat down. I thought she must be tired.
Well five cops came raining down on her.
A big female cop, picked her up, threw her against a wall, and frisked her aggressively. The cop appeared to enjoy treating this women terribly? Yes--the cop seemingly enjoyed her job too much?
Cops, "I don't recognize her? She must be homeless?"
They then emptied her purse on the sidewalk. A tampon, and a stick of Chapstick rolled into the wet gutter. Her well worn journal/phone book was face down getting wet. It was a depressing scene.
It seemed like they were all asking her questions at the same time. They warned her to, "just get on that bus!"
They took digital pictures of her.
The whole ugly incident was out of a Spielberg picture.
I couldn't believe the way she was being treated. Most of us would be taliking to a lawyer after an incident like that?
This is America's new way of dealing with Homlessness.
My county has basically one homeless shelter. It's usually filled up, and has a arms list of rules.
Again, my county has very little crime. We just have people who were inched out of the game. Some had mental breakdowns. Some were screwed over by family members--"loved ones". Sone just lost their job.
Many were former Programmers, or at least the one's I'm familiar with. Yes--it seems like a lot of Programmers end up homless?
It makes sence in a way. You turn forty/fifty, and you're expendable. No unions. Usually--far from family. No options? And no real skills. You spent your best days thinking everything will be o.k., until that day. You show up to interviews, but no call backs. Your skills get rusty. The bank account dwindles.
I'm really appalled at how cites are taking care of the Homeless problem. All I can do is write about what I see.
And yes--I'm very close to being harassed by some cop too. Great feeling?
Let me repeat, my county has very little crime. So little, newspapers use police logs as humor. For instance,"Woman reported ugly man picking lemons off the ground. We couldn't find perpetrator after a lengthy search of the neighborhood."
I guess Rudy's way of cleaning up New York is the new norm? Harass, and use the system to get them to move?
The problem is my county has virtually no crime? We just can't afford another rate increase, and many if us have no social network to fall back upon.
- mirimir 8y ago> Again, my county has very little crime. We just have people who were inched out of the game. Some had mental breakdowns. Some were screwed over by family members--"loved ones". So[m]e just lost their job. I'm sure that many homeless "were inched out of the game". Homelessness was a huge problem in the 1930s. And many homeless do have mental problems. Also substance abuse, which is partly self-medication for mental problems. All exacerbated by being "inched out of the game". Back in the 80s, homelessness exploded after funding for psychiatric institutions got cut during the Reagan administration. Many people hit the street, with virtually no support. But which is worse, really? Being stuck in a ward, over-medicated into passivity? Or dumped on the street? It's a hard problem.
- serioussecurity 8y agoOh, I can answer that one! Being in the streets is worse. A lot worse.
- jchb 8y agoAlthough you are right that the Republican - Democratic struggle about which level of government should be responsible for the patients did play a part, it was not just not about defunding. There was a growing public opposition against institutionalization. The 1975 movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is just one example of criticism against the contemporary pshycatric care model. Also, in the 60-70s there was (and there still is?) an over-belief in how medication could solve the problem.
- mirimir 8y agoYes, I remember the debate over institutionalization. And I recall visiting a humongous facility on Long Island. It was almost a small city. Also, I'm seriously into "live free or die fighting", so institutionalization is distasteful. I was technically homeless for several years, back in the day. I lived with friends, in group squats, in remote forest cabins, in tents and tipis, in vans, etc. But I was young and crazy, and it was fun and romantic. And it was entirely voluntary. Now, however, it wouldn't be so much fun.
- 8y ago