4 ms·
This isn't a particularly new idea - the term 'three hots and a cot' goes back a long time. I've heard that a lot of the homeless people here in Boston commit p
by Mizza 15y ago
This isn't a particularly new idea - the term 'three hots and a cot' goes back a long time. I've heard that a lot of the homeless people here in Boston commit petty crimes to deliberately get caught to escape the cold outdoors during the winter, or to receive dental care (although I should mention that I have not personally confirmed this). This is also mentioned, though without citation, in the Wikipedia article on homelessness: https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Homelessness#Income_sources https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Homelessness#...
- fleitz 15y agoThere's a great documentary about this phenomena in Montreal, in winter a bum pretty much can't get arrested, if you do you'll be released almost immediately, but in summer you'll get 3 months for holding a cup out for change.
- rdtsc 15y agoI have heard of that as well. Many have gotten "good" and they know based on their prior convictions, just the type of crime to commit to get into prison for a the winter then get released.
- zem 15y agoi first came across the idea in o henry's classic "the cop and the anthem": http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/o_henry/32/ http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/o_henry/32/