The Reason Skid Row Citations Aren't As Bad As You Think

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-09-05 06:33:00 UTC
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Residents of LA's Skid Row constantly run the risk of being slapped with a pricey citation just for going about their daily routines. Sitting on the curb, pushing a shopping cart, or jaywalking are all punishable by a hefty fine as high as $200. Luckily, city officials have learned that alternative solutions, creativity, and a bit of compassion can go a long way.

In an area like Skid Row, the country's most highly concentrated area of homeless individuals, issuing citations seems to be a total waste of police time. But the pricey citations are often tools for controlling the homeless; a roundabout way of moving people out of certain areas or punishing those who do anything but quietly sit and try to blend in.

Indeed, the shear volume of homelessness in LA is enormously challenging, and officials are doing what they believe will maintain order on the streets. Since police have stepped up these efforts to maintain order through citations, 17,000 citations have been issued and crime in the area has dropped 36 percent.

Still, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who supports the idea of clogging our criminal justice system with people who cannot afford to pay these fines. As though surviving on the streets of Skid Row is not stressful enough. Homeless people with no income are simply unable to pay their citations. According to the NY Times, "The result is a spiral that can turn a loitering ticket into an arrest warrant and jail sentence. Unpaid tickets can also surface when people try to get their lives back together: They show up in background checks for jobs and driver's license renewals."

That said, I applaud the LA attorney's office for responding to the ridiculous backlog of unpaid citations with an alternative, creative solution. Rather than prosecuting those with unpaid tickets, city prosecutors are holding "Citation Clinics" in area homeless shelters. In exchange for four hours of community service, each $200 ticket will be forgiven.

Already, the project is having the intended effect. After just the first two clinics, 500 outstanding citations were forgiven. Community service jobs included sweeping, serving meals, and attending alcohol or drug support meetings.

But perhaps the most valuable outcome? Proving that compassion and the chance to do the right thing can go a long way.

Image from Planetazine.

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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