02/02/04   Street People

Actually, I agree with you in part.

I also don't want these individuals on our streets and taking monies out of the tax base.

The laws do need to change so we can have a mandatory 40-day hospital stay instead of 72 hrs for those with mental illness.  Assertive outreach is needed by professionals and peers to get these individuals into treatment.  

Judges need to start enforcing the multiple "Public Intox" statutes to their full extent and demand 90 days of treatment for these repeat offenders.  There are many different organizations and programs which target these people in the U.S. which are being extremely successful (85%).

In the end, you are right in all you say.  These people have problems and need to be dealt with instead of putting them into Lew Hotel at $147.00 per night or $20 million to the taxpayers per year only to be released the next day.  

If a person truly wishes to be homeless, they find and buy their own property to do so.  I have found only one such person in four years.

As far as our neighborhoods are concerned, I agree with you and that is why I contacted you.  I work with the homeless mentally ill and am an advocate towards solutions.  I would not want 900+ chronic homeless individuals moving into my neighborhood.

As far as these people being being horrible, they are sometimes when they not getting the treatment needed.  Afterwards, I can tell you from experience they can and do become a benefit to society.  Even those who most of society have given up on.

As far as a "Street Bum", I've only met one out of 1,500.

By the way, your not heartless, you just haven't been given many options which you would be happy with as most of our community. That's where I'm working.  Practical and fiscal solutions.

James Waghorne

Editor's Comments:  Wow!  What a great hope for us to know there is someone sane in all this effort.  Mr. Waghorne is really living his beliefs.  sb