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For better or for worse, homelessness in America can largely be attributed to Regan-era changes in policy [1] that prevented people from being committed against
by rrrrrrrrrrrryan 5y ago
For better or for worse, homelessness in America can largely be attributed to Regan-era changes in policy [1] that prevented people from being committed against their will to psychiatric hospitals. It was done in the name of human rights, but naturally there were ulterior motives.
It's time we reverted it.
About 10% of humans have been addicts across most cultures throughout most of recorded human history, and they desperately need help (even if they claim don't want it).
There should obviously be a ton of safeguards in place before committing someone against their will (e.g. 1 or 2 doctors should declare that the patient is unable to care for themselves and make rational decisions, assessment at regular intervals, ensuring the patient has the right to get a new doctor, etc.), but I don't think we'll be able to solve homelessness without it, because this is what we used to do differently prior to the homelessness epidemic, and this is what other nations have been doing.
[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanterman%E2%80%93Petris%E2%80%93Short_Act https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanterman%E2%80%93Petris%E2%...
- trhway 5y ago>About 10% of humans have been addicts across most cultures throughout most of recorded human history, and they desperately need help (even if they claim don't want it). one can wonder why this trait hasn't been selected out by now (or some trait managing it hasn't appeared).
- rrrrrrrrrrrryan 5y agoAnecdotally, while 9/10 people with obsessive traits may crash and burn and possibly end up homeless, 1/10 may succeed spectacularly by becoming obsessed with something healthy-ish, or something that benefits people other than themselves. (Even if it's at the expense of their family and friends).
- Talanes 5y agoHow many addicts crash and burn before reproductive age?
- jawarner 5y agoIt's not a genetic issue, it's an ecological issue. I imagine almost all humans can become addicted to something or develop mental health issues under the right (wrong) circumstances.
- retrac 5y agoSame reason some young men play chicken with traffic. Paradoxically, it's likely a signal of fitness. A young man who can still manage sex successfully under the burden of multiple addictions probably has decent genes, cardiovascularly speaking. Probably why men are much more likely than women to take such risks, too.
- annexrichmond 5y agoIt was a bipartisan initiative. Tying Regan’s name to it seems disingenuous.
- spfzero 5y agoBut they are making rational decisions, in their own framework. And they are caring for themselves, as much as they care. Sure we could grab them up and throw them into institutions, and call the problem solved. I’d rather see us hold them accountable for any behavior that harms others, and leave it at that. Sleep on the sidewalk? Fine. Block the sidewalk? Not fine. Litter, endanger, defacate in public? Same penalty as anyone else. Looking at them as victims is degrading to them and paralyzing to society.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- jawarner 5y agoWhat are those penalties, and does this penal system actually work to change people's habits, or is it just part of a cycle, e.g. streets -> jail -> streets?
- smhost 5y agoI think the idea of "There's nothing you can do for me given the current social-political reality" too often gets conflated with "This is all I want my life to be". And even if the person has truly given up on society, I don't think society should ever give up on the person.
- bosie 5y ago> Litter, endanger, defacate in public? Same penalty as anyone else. what penalty is that for people who cannot pay any fines?
- iammisc 5y agoThe first step against mental institutions was by Kennedy who's family had bad experiences with the mental health system. Blaming this solely on Reagan is misguided. Reagan just went with the flow.
- cobbzilla 5y agoWith respect to the Kennedy’s bad experience, are you referring to Rosemary’s involuntary commitment and subsequent lobotomy? That was pretty awful, was there something more?
- iammisc 5y agoNo that's it. JFK held a vendetta against mental institutions. He signed legislation to rid the country of them and create community mental health centers which was the first step in deinstitutionalization.
- chii 5y ago> It was done in the name of human rights, but naturally there were ulterior motives. what was the ulterior motive?
- rrrrrrrrrrrryan 5y agoSaving a great deal of money for the state of California in the short term.
- heavenlyblue 5y agoWasn’t psychic ward “incarceration” also used to silence politically-incorrect dissidents?