Should being homeless be made a criminal offense?

Question

MrOracle · Accepted Answer

No.

But being drunk in public, using drugs in public, theft, burglary, identity theft, violence, and fraud are already illegal and actually ENFORCING these laws would go a very long way towards solving the homeless problem.

What most people don't seem to understand is that THEY THEMSELVES have voted in governments that systematically REFUSE to enforce these laws - at least, not against the homeless. They're HAPPY to enforce them against YOU, middle-class taxpayer, but NOT the homeless. The homeless get a complete free pass on nearly everything.

Why? There are several reasons.

1. There's a LOT of money to be made by a LOT of influential and powerful, well-connected people by administering "homeless programs." In fact, this is a very common way that politicians "pay" for votes - by awarding board seats and positions in such organizations to their political allies, and by directing lots of public money at those organizations, where 60% of that money is siphoned off in "administration fees" and "consultant fees."

2. The excuse is that "these people are disadvantaged, so therefore we can't enforce the law on them, because that would be racist, sexist, and bigoted.

3. The elites WANT chaos, because then you're distracted by the chaos and are too busy to pay close attention to all the other awful things they are doing at your expense.

Bottom line: we have the laws we need already. We just don't have governments in place who will enforce them, because their entire powerbase is dependent on NOT enforcing those rules. And the public is too distracted and too stupid to figure out that THEY are the ones putting these evil people into power.

Staximus · Accepted Answer

I used to work at a gas station and knew many homeless people. Some were regular people who lost their job or place to stay and lived in their car. You can't work a shitty job here and afford your own place, rent prices have skyrocketed in the last 10 years. Some were crazy, some were drunks, but about 80% were homeless drug addicts. Out of those, it was roughly 70% meth addicts and 30% heroin addicts. The crazies, drunks, and drug addicts had no motivation or desire to improve their situation. You can't just lock somebody up in a cage because they don't want to conform to society. There is literally no place for them to go. There's state programs to help them get off the street, but most don't cooperate with the rules and there's not enough housing for them even if they did. That is the situation here in California, bum paradise. They come here from all over the country because they can survive the winter outdoors, the state gives more handouts, and most cities don't give citations for vagrancy anymore.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Wtf. Many of those people are homeless because they lost their jobs during covid or because the business they worked for went out of business and they sadly couldn't afford to pay rent or their mortgage. They are already suffering enough being homeless and sleeping on the street especially during winter and you are believing it should be a crime

ShesRad80 · Accepted Answer

no-- i know plenty of homeless people a lot of them are good people. what should be a criminal offense is not properly helping out veterans which a huge chunk of our homeless are

Anonymous · Answer

No but they shouldn't be allowed to loiter set up camps etc. We should switch focus and government aid to those that are almost homeless. Go to third world countries where there's no government aid, there are very few homeless because if you are homeless you die. Whereas in the USA you get free food, narcan, drugs, healthcare. We help them into being helpless. I'm not saying no help, but stop giving them more rights than we have. You pitch a tent in a national park w no permit you are fined. Camp in front of a billion dollar building for free? No.

MementoMori777 · Answer

No even tho personally if I was homeless maybe getting myself arrested wouldn't be such a bad idea, I can commit a terrible act, get free shelter, food, healthcare and probably even education and the ones paying for it would be all of you, thanks to them taxes 😂☻

strateguy632 · Answer

a practical solution is we must move homeless people to RURAL "work camp shelters" where they will Sleep in exchange for working, cleaning beaches parks highways rivers etc. for as long as they need. any of the rare drug addicts or alcoholic can be guided.

anybody not handicap would work. for money that pays rent for the camp shack and meal tray.

molonski2 · Answer

How could it possibly be made a criminal offence when that poor person had absolutely nowhere to go? How many jails would you have to build? It would be far more cost effective to have some reasonable options for these people , with more support and assistance.

andreasderjuengere · Answer

Homeless people don't contribute to the greed-capitalist system, or consumerism in general.

Instead of criminalizing them, I suggest to mince them and to then sell them as dog food. So that at least SOME profit can be made from them.

But then... a carton box somewhat counts as a ''home'', too... it just does not have a mailing address.

Guido · Answer

With the way inflation is going, there are going to be a lot more homeless people vecause they can't afford the rent. Already there are people living in their vehicles or tents. These are hard working people that just don't make enough money to put a roof over their heads. The criminal is government caused inflation.

Adaeva · Answer

Of course not. Only if the homeless person violated some other reasonable law. Then it would be for violating that law and not for being homeless.

jimmy2 · Answer

The problem of this is so much mental illness, bdrug and drug abuse
In my state they closed the mail mental hospital. Then they wait for the person to go off mo meds. Then they take the person to a judge now they are I state jail.
No meds that effect their mental state

If they can't be in open operations they are lock up on a 5x12
To me that cutely but the state do not want a mental person with a gun

Anonymous · Answer

No , but the homeless need to be put in work camp shelters where they will have a place to stay and be made to become productive, until they can find steady employment and save enough money to leave and find their own places to live. The mental cases , die hard drug addicts , die hard alcoholics, chronic unemployable types can be made to stay in the work camps till they can be reformed or treated. There is plenty of work for these people, especially in enviromental clean up.

Siri137 · Answer

Are you actually serious about this? No, of course not!

jshm2 · Answer

How would that work exactly? Everyone needs to carry their rent lease and mortgage deeds at all times?

exitseven · Answer

No but the laws against vagrancy, drug dealing, public intoxication and sleeping on public sidewalks should be enforced. That would solve a lot of these problems

KrakenAttackin · Answer

No, homelessness is normally a result of mental illness and/or addiction. These people need treatment. However, I don't think people should be allowed to shit in the streets or set up camps obstructing business and pedestrian traffic.

Sonorous · Answer

That sounds like some shit hitler would be inspired by ngl

genericname85 · Answer

yeah. we also should make it a criminal offense to have an accident or to get sick. cause if all these things stopped happening, society would be better off.

Friendlybro79 · Answer

No and this is too simplified of a question to not have people ask more questions. In general no. It's not a crime to be down on your luck and you never know why someone's homeless.

inhua · Answer

it should be a criminal offense for there not to be any homeless shelters

FunkyMonkee · Answer

Vagrancy is but, what are you gonna do, MAKE them get a top dollar job on Wall Street so they can buy a house?

JackCarter · Answer

What? No If you can't help them.. you can't punish them

Bricealan · Answer

It should be if you shit in the doorway of my business office.

msc545 · Answer

No, doing things to MAKE people homeless should be a criminal offense.

DarkLegacy · Answer

No it should not be, what century and planet are you living on.

Cubus · Answer

Hungary made being homeless a criminal offense. It didn't work, people were still sleeping on the streets.

Danny_dan92 · Answer

Why? People sometimes lose everything. Especially when times are hard

Jersey2 · Answer

Effectively it is with various laws in many places but its not enforced anymore.

motownplayer2000 · Answer

How are you going to enforce that. What are they supposed to do?

Con29 · Answer

No I don’t think it’s not always there fault that they are homeless

Lyndsielee666 · Answer

Are you being for real?

SassyAussieAddy · Answer

That sounds like an awful law

Wonderingguyy · Answer

No that’s pretty unfair

Mansearching · Answer

No it shouldn't be.

Sparkie460 · Answer

No it shouldn't. They have enough problems

WhiteBorr · Answer

Like they don't already have enough problems?

Anonymous · Answer

Hmm.. do you think we should fine them?

4ngelic · Answer

lol no

brianamau · Answer

No..

Kelly6 · Answer

Nope

Anonymous · Answer

Nope.

Should being homeless be made a criminal offense?

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