by Artful Dodger
The ongoing homeless “Issues” here in Denver, and in Colorado overall, are, by no
stretch of the imagination, a direct result of the poor judgment on the part of the City,
County, and State Governments, or a general lack of any kind of compassion for our
fellow human beings. Above all else, Denver’s “solutions” for homelessness simply
Don’t Work. (The mayor’s ten year plan to end homelessness is in its ninth year.)
Tick, Tick, Tick.
A ridiculous tendency in Denver is to turn to criminalizing people living on the streets.
This approach includes extreme tactics that typically discriminate against homeless
people by making it illegal to carry out daily activities in public. (Violating constitutional,
civil, and human rights, I might add.) They go as far as prohibiting everyday behavior
such as sleeping/camping, sitting, eating, and begging in some public spaces, usually
including some sort of criminal penalties for violations of these laws.
Never mind the fact that there is no “real” affordable housing, or the lack of shelter
space. The City of Denver has chosen to criminally punish people living on the street for
doing what human beings must do to survive. In other words they are criminals simply
because they are here.
Criminalization is by far the most expensive and least effective way of dealing with
homelessness. Real cost-effective solutions are needed, not some ineffective,
inappropriate and insane measures that waste time and taxpayer dollars. Punishing
homeless people for conducting necessary activities will ultimately do nothing but hurt
the whole community. Criminalization measures are costly and deplete our public
resources. Criminalization does not deal with the real causes of homelessness but only
worsens the problem.
Using the police to arrest homeless people is simply not a solution. Ultimately, arrested
homeless people go back to their communities, still homeless and with even more
financial burdens that they cannot deal with. Criminal convictions, even for minor
crimes, only create more barriers to receiving public benefits, employment, or housing, making homelessness even more difficult to escape. There are far more sensible, costeffective,
and humane solutions to homelessness.
Many of the ordinances appear to have the purpose of moving the homeless people out
of sight, out of mind, or even out of the city. These laws are passed under some
ridiculously mistaken idea that using law enforcement to remove homeless people from
Denver’s business and tourist districts is the best method for improving the area’s
economic health. “R-O-N-G”
In Denver, money that could be, and in my opinion, should be used to provide new and
accessible solutions that will work is far too often spent on more police, and more
ridiculous City and County ordinances that only criminalize and discriminate against
Denver’s large population of the homeless. Criminalizing homelessness just propels the
homeless into a cycle of the street, jail, and, back to the street. When it’s all said and
done the homeless will still be here and still be homeless.
Criminalization measures only answer to discriminatory stereotypes that conclude that
people that live in poverty are lazy, irresponsible, dishonest, drug addicted, alcoholics,
and even criminal. But, we don’t ever talk about Mom popping sedatives because ever
since little Johnny was diagnosed with the latest flavor of A.D.D. Dad can’t handle him
unless he washes down a Quaalude with his favorite brand of scotch.
One-third of homeless individuals found in homeless shelters have a chronic substance
abuse problem and one-quarter face severe mental illness.
These facts simply show that those who face these challenges only represent a minority
of the homeless population overall.
Only 40% - 60% of panhandlers are homeless. (That simply means that the other 40%-
60% of panhandlers are housed individuals.)
Let’s look at some of the effects of criminalization.
The personal effects:
Many times when a homeless person is harassed/detained/cited or arrested their
property becomes lost in the shuffle. Things like cell phones, clothes, IDs and social
security cards end up lost or worse, thrown away. These valuable items are time
consuming and expensive to replace--time and money that homeless people just don’t
have. These costs put a burden on local and state government agencies, which in turn
also affects the economy.
If, or better put, when an individual is cited, and misses his/her court date, a warrant is
issued, which only puts increased burdens on the economy. The homeless are often blamed for the crime downtown. Not some of the crime, mind
you, but, “the crime.” Typically the homeless in the Metro Denver area are not thugs,
muggers, murderers or rapists. The shoe is often on the other foot, when it comes to
violence in the downtown area.
Criminalization and discrimination only promote fear in the general public. This fear will
then give rise to hate. The homeless are all too often attacked, beaten or worse, just for
the fact of being homeless. The homeless are blamed for downtown businesses failing. Can anyone really prove that their business failed because of the homeless? Sounds like a very convenient excuse. If you’re a bad business person and can’t keep your business afloat or you start another coffee shop on the mall, thinking you’re going to be the best damn coffee shop
on the 16th Street Mall. Well, you’re an idiot and your business is going to fail. (Fur lined
sinks just don’t sell folks.)
The homeless are often viewed as a threat to the “public health and safety” of the
downtown area. Such lies and distortions of the truth, along with the discrimination and
fear, produced by local politicians and business owners, promote the homeless as the
scapegoat for all the evils and problems in the Denver downtown area.
The homeless have to eat. They have to sleep. The homeless have human bodily
functions like everyone else. Criminalization and discrimination of the homeless only
make the daily difficulties of surviving on the streets of Denver that much more
demoralizing and inhuman. The so called “public safety” concerns often cause the social exclusion of the homeless.
The social effects:
Warning people against giving money or food to panhandlers only creates fear of the
homeless in the general public. This false fear promotes discrimination of the homeless.
Criminalization and discrimination makes these fears appear to be real.
The homeless that are arrested for “Quality of Life” crimes have even less accessibility
to jobs. Potential employers don’t want to put the homeless to work because of a police
record. Previous employers lose any trust in the homeless that can’t show up to work
because of incarceration.
The incarcerated homeless person faces issues of violence, overcrowding, abuse, and
disease. This only adds to economical and social costs upon release.
The levels of animosity and lack of trust toward police and other officials will no doubt
be magnified. A much better plan would be to develop programs that would reduce
criminalization and animosity along with reducing the overall numbers of the homeless. Then the police and other officials would be much more productive and effective without
violating anyone’s civil or human rights.
The political effects:
Most of the Denver Police’s actions, whether allowed by their superiors or not, could
very well be in direct violation of the United States Constitution.
Panhandling: Freedom of speech: The First Amendment.
Seizure and/or destruction of personal property: Unreasonable search and
seizure: The Fourth Amendment.
Sleep and other necessary activities: Cruel and unusual punishment: The Eighth
Amendment.
Discriminatory enforcement: Equal protection: The Fourteenth Amendment.
The economic effects:
The amount of tax dollars used to detain the homeless for “Quality of Life” crimes will no
doubt increase. Ordinances that criminalize the homeless just make the problems of
homelessness worse. It is far more expensive to arrest and detain a homeless person
then it is to house that same person.
Where is the logic?
stretch of the imagination, a direct result of the poor judgment on the part of the City,
County, and State Governments, or a general lack of any kind of compassion for our
fellow human beings. Above all else, Denver’s “solutions” for homelessness simply
Don’t Work. (The mayor’s ten year plan to end homelessness is in its ninth year.)
Tick, Tick, Tick.
A ridiculous tendency in Denver is to turn to criminalizing people living on the streets.
This approach includes extreme tactics that typically discriminate against homeless
people by making it illegal to carry out daily activities in public. (Violating constitutional,
civil, and human rights, I might add.) They go as far as prohibiting everyday behavior
such as sleeping/camping, sitting, eating, and begging in some public spaces, usually
including some sort of criminal penalties for violations of these laws.
Never mind the fact that there is no “real” affordable housing, or the lack of shelter
space. The City of Denver has chosen to criminally punish people living on the street for
doing what human beings must do to survive. In other words they are criminals simply
because they are here.
Criminalization is by far the most expensive and least effective way of dealing with
homelessness. Real cost-effective solutions are needed, not some ineffective,
inappropriate and insane measures that waste time and taxpayer dollars. Punishing
homeless people for conducting necessary activities will ultimately do nothing but hurt
the whole community. Criminalization measures are costly and deplete our public
resources. Criminalization does not deal with the real causes of homelessness but only
worsens the problem.
Using the police to arrest homeless people is simply not a solution. Ultimately, arrested
homeless people go back to their communities, still homeless and with even more
financial burdens that they cannot deal with. Criminal convictions, even for minor
crimes, only create more barriers to receiving public benefits, employment, or housing, making homelessness even more difficult to escape. There are far more sensible, costeffective,
and humane solutions to homelessness.
Many of the ordinances appear to have the purpose of moving the homeless people out
of sight, out of mind, or even out of the city. These laws are passed under some
ridiculously mistaken idea that using law enforcement to remove homeless people from
Denver’s business and tourist districts is the best method for improving the area’s
economic health. “R-O-N-G”
In Denver, money that could be, and in my opinion, should be used to provide new and
accessible solutions that will work is far too often spent on more police, and more
ridiculous City and County ordinances that only criminalize and discriminate against
Denver’s large population of the homeless. Criminalizing homelessness just propels the
homeless into a cycle of the street, jail, and, back to the street. When it’s all said and
done the homeless will still be here and still be homeless.
Criminalization measures only answer to discriminatory stereotypes that conclude that
people that live in poverty are lazy, irresponsible, dishonest, drug addicted, alcoholics,
and even criminal. But, we don’t ever talk about Mom popping sedatives because ever
since little Johnny was diagnosed with the latest flavor of A.D.D. Dad can’t handle him
unless he washes down a Quaalude with his favorite brand of scotch.
One-third of homeless individuals found in homeless shelters have a chronic substance
abuse problem and one-quarter face severe mental illness.
These facts simply show that those who face these challenges only represent a minority
of the homeless population overall.
Only 40% - 60% of panhandlers are homeless. (That simply means that the other 40%-
60% of panhandlers are housed individuals.)
Let’s look at some of the effects of criminalization.
The personal effects:
Many times when a homeless person is harassed/detained/cited or arrested their
property becomes lost in the shuffle. Things like cell phones, clothes, IDs and social
security cards end up lost or worse, thrown away. These valuable items are time
consuming and expensive to replace--time and money that homeless people just don’t
have. These costs put a burden on local and state government agencies, which in turn
also affects the economy.
If, or better put, when an individual is cited, and misses his/her court date, a warrant is
issued, which only puts increased burdens on the economy. The homeless are often blamed for the crime downtown. Not some of the crime, mind
you, but, “the crime.” Typically the homeless in the Metro Denver area are not thugs,
muggers, murderers or rapists. The shoe is often on the other foot, when it comes to
violence in the downtown area.
Criminalization and discrimination only promote fear in the general public. This fear will
then give rise to hate. The homeless are all too often attacked, beaten or worse, just for
the fact of being homeless. The homeless are blamed for downtown businesses failing. Can anyone really prove that their business failed because of the homeless? Sounds like a very convenient excuse. If you’re a bad business person and can’t keep your business afloat or you start another coffee shop on the mall, thinking you’re going to be the best damn coffee shop
on the 16th Street Mall. Well, you’re an idiot and your business is going to fail. (Fur lined
sinks just don’t sell folks.)
The homeless are often viewed as a threat to the “public health and safety” of the
downtown area. Such lies and distortions of the truth, along with the discrimination and
fear, produced by local politicians and business owners, promote the homeless as the
scapegoat for all the evils and problems in the Denver downtown area.
The homeless have to eat. They have to sleep. The homeless have human bodily
functions like everyone else. Criminalization and discrimination of the homeless only
make the daily difficulties of surviving on the streets of Denver that much more
demoralizing and inhuman. The so called “public safety” concerns often cause the social exclusion of the homeless.
The social effects:
Warning people against giving money or food to panhandlers only creates fear of the
homeless in the general public. This false fear promotes discrimination of the homeless.
Criminalization and discrimination makes these fears appear to be real.
The homeless that are arrested for “Quality of Life” crimes have even less accessibility
to jobs. Potential employers don’t want to put the homeless to work because of a police
record. Previous employers lose any trust in the homeless that can’t show up to work
because of incarceration.
The incarcerated homeless person faces issues of violence, overcrowding, abuse, and
disease. This only adds to economical and social costs upon release.
The levels of animosity and lack of trust toward police and other officials will no doubt
be magnified. A much better plan would be to develop programs that would reduce
criminalization and animosity along with reducing the overall numbers of the homeless. Then the police and other officials would be much more productive and effective without
violating anyone’s civil or human rights.
The political effects:
Most of the Denver Police’s actions, whether allowed by their superiors or not, could
very well be in direct violation of the United States Constitution.
Panhandling: Freedom of speech: The First Amendment.
Seizure and/or destruction of personal property: Unreasonable search and
seizure: The Fourth Amendment.
Sleep and other necessary activities: Cruel and unusual punishment: The Eighth
Amendment.
Discriminatory enforcement: Equal protection: The Fourteenth Amendment.
The economic effects:
The amount of tax dollars used to detain the homeless for “Quality of Life” crimes will no
doubt increase. Ordinances that criminalize the homeless just make the problems of
homelessness worse. It is far more expensive to arrest and detain a homeless person
then it is to house that same person.
Where is the logic?
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