Skid Row: Safer City or Criminalizing Homelessness?

Skid Row has undergone some dramatic changes in recent years,  but many people are concerned that Los Angeles' Safer City Program is not only targeting criminals, but criminalizing homelessness.  Today, NPR's Morning Edition continued their coverage from yesterday of the infamous neighborhood, looking at the city's program, which includes an increased police presence handing out thousands of tickets for often petty crimes. While I'm certainly in favor of efforts to combat crime and create a safer environment for those who live there, handing out jay-walking tickets to someone who has nowhere else to live or any means to pay for the fine, seems an excessive and inappropriate means of dealing with the challenges of homelessness.  Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other proponents of Safer City, argue that they are also creating housing for the homeless, in addition to the crackdown, but many of those apartments have yet to materialize. According to NPR, the population of Skid Row has decreased since the program began, only not because the city has helped find people homes or support, but because the ticketing has likely scattered people to other neighborhoods.  That doesn's sound like a successful program to me.  The city should continue to target offenders of violent crime and drug dealers, but they also need to cooperate with homeless organizations to better understand how to help Skid Row residents in an appropriate way. takepart by learning what you can do to help during National Volunteer Week with The Soloist, which opens this week!  And tune in to Morning Edition tomorrow when they will feature a segement about the film.