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 Street Spirit October 2006 San Francisco Punishes People for the Crime of Being PoorThese citations drill people into the ground they are ticketed for sleeping upon. Jobs, housing, drug treatment and benefits are all threatened by this terrible policy. by Rabbi Peretz Wolf-PrusanSan Francisco has spent more than $5.7 million since January 2004 issuing citations to thousands of homeless people. These are the recipients of the 31,230 citations issued by the San Francisco police. These homeless people were cited, arrested, dragged through the courts and jailed for engaging in actions that you and I regard without a second thought as a routine part of our daily life.
At the end of that workday, we return to our safe, comfortable home for a nice meal. We may enjoy a glass of wine or a cold beer to help us unwind after a hard day. In the morning, our homeless brothers and sisters awaken on cold, hard cement or cold, damp, hard ground. They may or may not have been able to sleep through the night. Police rouse people sleeping on the sidewalks as early as four in the morning and force them to move on. Officers knock on the doors of parked vehicles and force people sleeping in them to get out and receive a citation. Very often the car or van -- the only "home" they have -- is confiscated. The first-time penalty for this "crime" of sleeping in their vehicle is up to six months in jail. Our homeless neighbors ease up from the ground to face another hard day. Once on their feet, they too look for a place to relieve themselves. There are no accommodations. Trying to maintain their dignity, they seek some privacy. If caught relieving themselves, they can be cited for having committed a "criminal" offense. Of course, there is no pleasant glass of wine for homeless people. Possession of any opened alcoholic beverage container may result in an "Open Container" citation. When we speak of these homeless people being cited, arrested, dragged through the courts and jailed, we are not engaging in mere rhetoric.
The consequences of receiving a citation can be severe for homeless persons. Their already precarious living situation becomes even more chaotic and stressful. Perhaps the most disturbing and destructive is the fact that the "quality of life" system in effect condemns many of them to continued homelessness because the citations, warrants and convictions haunt them literally for years. If the homeless person is on parole, receiving just a single "quality of life" citation can mean that person is sent back to prison. Getting a job is already difficult for a homeless person. "Quality of life" citations nonsensically manufacture a criminal record for someone simply trying to survive. This means that no matter how hard some of them work to better themselves, securing steady employment becomes nearly impossible for some. "Quality of life" citations, warrants and convictions can make it more difficult for them to secure housing since background checks are now standard procedure for many leasing companies. Receiving citations, warrants, convictions and jail time has translated into individuals being denied entry into City-funded drug and alcohol treatment programs. These citations, warrants, convictions and jail time mean that some individuals have had their Social Security and other social benefits threatened. Once cancelled, these benefits are nearly impossible to restore. Housing, jobs, drug treatment and federal and state benefits are all threatened by this terrible policy. The consequences are very real. "Quality of life" citations drill individuals into the ground they are ticketed for sleeping upon. The stark contradictions within San Francisco's Policy on Homelessness are best expressed in the words of homeless people themselves: "The City has started doing some really good things now but the cops just keeping doing bad things to us. It's like they help you up then they slap you right back down." "I went to Project Homeless Connect and they really helped me. Two days later, they arrested me for not paying my tickets." San Francisco's policy on homelessness is at war with itself -- and we are all the victims. Stop the Cruel Enforcement of 'Quality of Life' Ordinances Against Homeless People. Please sign the
petition of Religious Witness with Homeless People. STREET SPIRIT © 2002-2006 STREET SPIRIT. All rights reserved. - Published by American Friends Service Committee
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When
you and I awaken on any morning, we get up out of a warm bed. We feel
for our slippers, walk a few steps to the bathroom, use its facilities
and then take a nice, warm shower. We dress in clean clothes for the day
and enjoy a cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea. Following a breakfast
of our choosing, we leave our home for work that gives us a sense of
achievement and pays at least a living wage.
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