Homelessness
Hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money are being spent to cope with an epidemic of people living on the streets of our cities. The situation is getting worse. Sanitation is approaching third world conditions. Perhaps the money is being wasted.
To simplify somewhat, there are three classes of people on the street. First are those addicted to alcohol and/or drugs. Second are people suffering from mental illness. Third are those who have both problems. A large percentage of those suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are also addicts. There is ample evidence that mental illness symptoms improve greatly if the mood altering chemicals are eliminated.
With respect to those suffering with mental illness, our concern for their “rights” has gone too far. Society has a right to protect itself from antisocial behavior and sidewalk defecation. We will soon have the spread of medieval disease if we don’t address this problem. There should be brief periods of involuntary confinement, diagnosis and medication for those who behave in a disruptive, unsanitary or violent fashion. If an unfortunate soul can’t stay off drugs and on the medication, longer periods of involuntary confinement are the only logical solution. Periodic review of every patient should result in release of anyone who seems liable to be able to live by minimum civilized standards. Subsidized housing and public service employment could be provided.
With respect to the addicted population, the current social service fad is “harm reduction”. That is the exact opposite of what is needed. An addict will do whatever it takes (lie, cheat, steal, degrade themselves, sleep rough) to get to the next drink or next hit. At this time, there is one cure for addiction . . . abstinence. Only when the addict perceives that the pain of withdrawal is less than the pain of addicted living will he or she decide to try that path. Providing food and shelter to an addict only postpones that day of reckoning, probably unto death. We are literally and proximately killing addicts with our kindness.
What should we do? We should legalize drugs. Their sale should be strictly controlled to prevent sale to kids. Drugs should be labeled as to potency. All sales should be accompanied by a brief warning as to the ill effects and a phone number to call for anyone wishing rehab services. We need to quit pretending that the “war on drugs” can be won and take the profit margin fueling Mexican and Central American gangs off the table.
We should end street dwelling. For the few people who are homeless simply because they are out of money, we can provide adequate shelter and assistance to find gainful employment. We can create some areas with rudimentary sanitation and shelter where addicted street dwellers can be sent. Those who refuse shelter can be assigned a camp spot. Anyone expressing a desire to rejoin society can have access to help to kick a drug habit or get treatment for mental illness. There has to be a stark and obvious difference in the treatment of those who wish to continue using and those who would like to stop using. Only by presenting that choice in the starkest possible fashion will we actually help those who suffer. Everything else is a waste of money and the ultimate cruelty.
