Little Rock Wants to Ban Anything Remotely Homeless

by Josie Raymond · 2010-09-03 13:42:00 UTC
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Another day, another criminalization measure. This time it comes out of Little Rock, Arkansas, where officials have begun drawing up ordinances that would ban just about everything all at once — so-called "aggressive panhandling," public feedings and the sale of 40-ounce beers.

Like I've said before, I just don't get aggressive panhandling ordinances, like the ones considered by Salt Lake City and St. Petersburg. If people are harassing or threatening others, arrest them on that charge whether they're panhandling or not. Creating a new charge sounds a lot like an excuse to ban panhandling entirely and to let police officers arbitrarily decide who's obeying the law and who's not.

But if Little Rock goes through with its draconian plans, "aggressive" panhandlers would be fined or locked up. Liquor stores would be prohibited from selling single servings of alcohol (which inconveniences plenty of housed people, as well). And churches and organizations that want to hand out food in public parks would need to pay $25 for a permit and could still only get two of those a year. (Um, that's $50 worth of food assistance each year that the city's not willing to pay for. Why penalize organizations that are?)

Officials think the behavior of the homeless people in town basically goes like this: gather in the park to get free food. Hang around afterward to bother people until they give you money. Use that money to buy alcohol. Someone probably does that. But everyone? Not hardly.

The debate so far seems to be around what time liquor stores should open and how large the bottles should be and where exactly the homeless are permitted to congregate. Even in times of stretched resources, if officials want to solve the situation rather than put a Band-Aid on it, the discussion should revolve around who's drinking and why, and why homeless people are congregating and what they need in order to stop doing that. I'm guessing the usual: jobs, affordable housing, substance abuse treatment, medical care, etc. Not more chances to go to jail.

Photo credit: Neubie

Josie Raymond is a Change.org editor who has reported from the streets of the South Bronx, written for several magazines that folded (not her fault) and fixed thousands of typos.

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