The Dangers of Homeless Shelters

by Shannon Moriarty · 2010-02-12 14:04:00 UTC
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A homeless shelter may never be as safe or accommodating as the Ritz-Carlton, but there is a reasonable expectation that it will serve as a refuge that is a step up from the dangers of the streets. Every now and then, however, that security is compromised, forcing us to ask the question: how safe are our homeless shelters?

Earlier this week in Cleveland, a homeless veteran with a history of mental and behavioral problems attacked and killed the shelter's director with a small ax. When police arrived on the scene, they shot and killed the attacker. Today, as the city mourns the loss of director Rita Ciofani, people are raising important questions about the safety standards of city homeless shelters. Could a simple security measure have prevented this attack?

While the vast majority of homeless shelters are perfectly safe, it's important that any organization serving the homeless re-visit and re-evaluate its security regularly. Homeless service organizations, particularly emergency shelters, are often the point of entry for people suffering from serious mental illness or substance abuse, which is often magnified (and un-medicated) after the stress of living on the street. As the tragedy in Cleveland illustrates, these individuals may not only be a danger to themselves, but also to the people who are there to help them.

But what constitutes a robust shelter security program? Metal detectors? Strip searches? Weapon-sniffing dogs? That doesn't sound like home. And what happens if a potential "weapon" is found in a person's belongings? Are they ejected from the shelter and forced to spend the night on the streets? Or is that weapon confiscated, thereby leaving a person more vulnerable to the dangers of the streets? Designing an effective homeless security system, it seems, is tougher than you'd think.

Of course, it's important that we keep things in perspective. As a Cleveland shelter board official pointed out, "The situation in Cleveland and other similar situations show someone with a raging intent can beat the most secure system that is in place."

Photo credit: alancleaver_2000

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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