I, personally, am all for protecting personal property. Homelessness and addiction is never an excuse for crime and vandalism. I've been a victim of property crime and I know how rotten it feels when someone has decided their desires somehow trumps my right to own a couple of nice things. However, a "lock 'em all up" approach, legally and practically, really doesn't work, except in the short term removal of "undesirables" and their camps.
I wish I could offer a solution to the "causes" of homelessness, but from what I understand, there is no one cause one can point to. Some homeless people suffer from addictions, some are basically victims of their parent's addictions (FAS), some have differed from broken marriages/job losses that left them unable to pay rent. How does a society stop people from losing their jobs, ending their marriages or turning to alcohol and drugs to ease personal pain or boredom desire for short-term highs? How can society provide a positive network of family and friends when the closest thing some folks have is gangs?
Forced addictions treatments are legally limited across this country. except in a small number of cases, where the person is an obvious danger to themselves or other, is it justified. Having to live in a tent, by itself, isn't considered a danger to others.
The efficacy of forced addiction treatment also has a spotty record. If an individual doesn't really want to give up on their addictions, their treatments don't often work, or only "work" for a short time.
Even volunteer addictions treatments, with plenty of family and peer support, aren't effective 100% of the time.
Sad to say, the only methods that seems to work to a degree are expensive and time consuming.
Edit: I think part of the problem dealing with homelessness was actually identified by Gillingham a while ago. There are a variety of agencies trying to deal with homelessness, but they're not providing a unified message. Some groups try to alleviate homelessness, others tell homeless people they have the right to camp/live wherever they want to. I don 't agree with the second viewpoint, and I agree that social service agencies, the civic and provincial governments need to speak and act with one voice.
Wab has spoken in the past about not allowing himself personal excuses for continuing on a self-destructive path in his life. I wish he'd speak out on this more, but maybe he doesn't want to sound "preachy"? Nevertheless, I think it's a message that needs to be repeated, IMO.
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Last edited by pspeid; Aug 31, 2024 at 2:52 PM.
Reason: added comment
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