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2008, 12-05 Quotes from the Internet (Panhandling)Panhandling Quotes from the Internet Bill Gothmann 12 -5 -2008 http: / /www. straightdope. com/columns /read/22 5 5/how- much - money -do- beggars -make In a study of Toronto panhandlers conducted by Robit Bose and Stephen Hwang, panhandlers reported a median monthly income equivalent to US $1904200. The authors note that a journalist who briefly lived on the street in Toronto working as a panhandler ... reported that panhandlers can earn more than $200 per day ... These differences may be partly explained by the fact that high - earning panhandlers were presumably less likely to participate in our survey, and these individuals may have formed the basis for Stackhouse's observations. Our results may be more representative of the majority of panhandlers who earn lesser amounts. This raises an important issue. Most of the data out there is based on the homeless population. Can we generalize from information about homeless panhandlers to conclude anything about the panhandling income of other people? Louise Stark published a detailed analysis of homeless panhandlers in Phoenix, Arizona in "From Lemons to Lemonade: An Ethnographic Sketch of Late Twentieth - Century Panhandling" (1992). In that article she writes that "the modern panhandler often considers begging a job, in many ways an entrepreneurial enterprise. He is out o neyin tTe mo�ficient manner possible." But she also otes n t a paldmdling income tends to be self - limiting: In a 1986 study of homelessness in Chicago, the average income reported from panhandling is generally was $7.00 per month. This may be partially explained by the fact that panhandling is generally not a daily occurrence ... Panhandling is generally engaged in when other economic resources ...have been exhausted. armngs are rarely save a "spent short -term According to Stark, panhandlers don't make enough to save for housing, and carrying money around "can only lead to being robbed, and possibly beaten up in the process." She writes: [T]he average Phoenix panhandler works the streets only until he or she has enough money to purchase a bottle of beer or fortified wine, a vial of crack, or, rarely, a meal at a fast food restaurant. As with more conventional occupations, alcohol and drugs put a crimp in a beggar's earnings potential. Stark notes that the alcoholic panhandler drinks until drunk, and often passes out. For long -term alcoholics, that doesn't take much liquor. "A couple of swallows of fortified wine often suffice. Since the alcoholic doesn't require a whole bottle, the remains of which would be stolen once he became intoxicated, he often joins an impromptu 'bottle gang' of like individuals with whom he combines his earnings to purchase alcohol." Rocky Mountain News, Denver Those who work with the homeless discourage people from giving money to panhandlers. "Most of the money they get goes to alcohol and drugs," said Mike McManus, an outreach worker for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. McManus is one of more than a dozen outreach workers charged with tracking the city's homeless. He spends much of his days looking for homeless people camped out along Cherry Creek. The Rabble Rouser It's human nature to want to help someone in need. So when we pass a panhandler on the street or on the side of the road, we want to help. After all, giving a panhandler our spare change or even a buck or two probably won't break us, but is it really the right way to help the homeless? According to research done in the city of Denver, 90 percent of the money given to panhandlers is used to further enable that panhandler's lifestyle of drug or alcohol addiction. In fact, the vast majority of panhandlers are not homeless, and the vast majority of homeless do not panhandle. So, if you are giving money to a panhandler thinking you are helping the homeless, it's likely you are feeding an addiction and not a need. Thedenverchannel . com Although the amount seems generous, the business community and the city of Denver are urging residents to stop handing out money to people in the streets. "I've always known people in our community are compassionate, but $4.6 million is a lot of money. And, more than 50 percent of those who give do so because they believe it is the right thing to do or it will help panhandlers get back on their feet. Sadly, we know that in most cases, the money is used in ways that perpetuate the problem," said Mary Buckley, with Denver's Department of Economic Development, a group that co- sponsored the survey. http:// hpn. asu.edu/archives/Nov98 /0124.html Myths about Panhandling Louise Stark, in her article "From Lemons to Lemonade," analyzes the research from seven studies conducted on panhandling from 1985 -1989. Are all homeless people panhandlers? No. The percentage ranges from a high of 34.4% in Washington, D.C. to 6.8% in Denver. In one study the nationwide average was 17 %. For how many homeless people did panhandling represent most or all of their income? 2.2 %. How successful are they? Despite press stories of "genius" level panhandlers who receive hundreds of dollars, the average take is $7.00 per month. Experiments by Berkeley students in a homelessness class found that in a "jaded" city like San Francisco the take was very low: under $4.00 in one day. In a city unused to panhandlers, like Thousand Oaks, a student received $20.00 in a few hours. (If you'd like to repeat their experiment, follow the protocol of our structured experience). On what are the fruits of panhandling most often spent? Tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. Let some former homeless people who have panhandled tell you about it. In sum, a small percentage of homeless people panhandle; not all panhandlers are homeless; the take is small; most of the take is used for "substances." If panhandlers tend to use the money for tobacco, alcohol, or drugs, am I simply contributing to their problems by giving them spare change? What if I don't use any of these substances; do I really want to "enable" someone else's use? This is really a "donor" concern for which two solutions have been offered: one by some agencies that serve homeless people; one by cities who have concerns about homeless people congregating in business districts. The International Union of Gospel Missions speaks, as an example of the former, with its guidelines for helping homeless people: "Never give cash to a homeless person." The Rev. Steve Burger, their Executive Director, suggests that you buy food items instead of giving to panhandlers. What do you think of these suggestions? The City of Berkeley offers an example of a community's response to panhandling through its Berkeley Cares voucher program. In the latter, donors may buy $0.25 vouchers from local merchants and hand them out as they will to panhandlers. These vouchers can only be redeemed for food, bus tokens, or for washing clothes at some laundromats. Are either of these approaches open to criticism? If so, what are their weaknesses? Is the donor perspective the best way to view this "problem "? Considering the donee's perspective, why might "self- medicating" be more important than eating for some homeless people? Police Chief David Kunkle: Panhandling in Dallas 01:16 PM CDT on Sunday, August 24, 2008 Points interviewed Dallas Chief of Police David Kunkle about the panhandling problem in Dallas. The entire videotaped interview appears on The Dallas Morning News' Opinion Blot. Here's an edited excerpt: How serious a problem is panhandling in Dallas? We get a significant number of complaints. People know that we have a city ordinance that prohibits panhandling. There's some misunderstanding about the ordinance. The ordinance doesn't pertain to all panhandling. Panhandling is not illegal unless it's next to a roadway, in a financial institution, at a car wash or a few other limited locations. Much of the panhandling that occurs downtown is not illegal, unless it's persistent or threatening -type panhandling. Where are the hotspots in town? Probably where we get the most complaints is the central business district. One thing I think happens in Dallas is not that we have more panhandlers than any other major cities — but until we get a critical mass of people on the streets, our panhandlers tend to dominate the street landscape. You don't have the same impact in Chicago or San Francisco or Boston. In fact, I think we have fewer panhandlers, but in those cities, you get safety by the fact that there's a lot of people out on the streets. Panhandlers are just part of the street landscape. What about Deep Ellum? Is it a particular problem down there because of the nightlife? It was a problem, but our ordinance was created to deal with that. It's illegal to panhandle at night. People were afraid when they parked at a parking meter and they were immediately approached by a panhandler. That's now illegal under our ordinance. Are people who give money to panhandlers hurting more than they're helping? My view is they're hurting, and many people in the homeless advocacy communities believe they're hurting rather than helping. Do we have any way of knowing how likely a panhandler is to use donated money for food, or for drugs or alcohol? We don't have statistics. I'm sure some of it is going to go to food, but a substantial portion of it is going to go to drugs and alcohol. One last question, less about panhandling than about the homeless hanging out in the downtown library. It used to be a big problem down there. Has it gotten better? I think it's gotten better over time, but you have to understand how bad it was before. The homeless have a legal right to be on our streets, to engage in all the legal activities that the rest of us engage in. It's only a crime if they commit a criminal offense. Their presence in the library is generally not a crime. It's a place they go for shelter, and there's not much that the city can do about it other than enforce our ordinances. http:// www .freemoneyfinance.com/2008 /08 /a- biblical - resp.html A Biblical Response to Panhandlers For those of you new to Free Money Finance, I post on The Bible and Money every Sunday. Here's why. Consider this situation: Timmerman recalled a young man who said he needed to get a bus ticket to North Carolina, where his brother had just died. "You never know whether it's a real need or not," she said. Not to keep you in suspense, here's how this lady handled the question: She told him no to the money, but told him about dialing 211, a catch -all number for the United Way. Then she offered to pray. The situation above is one that most of us have had to face at one time. We've discussed the issue before here at Free Money Finance and most people were against helping out panhandlers. But what's the proper biblical response to panhandlers when you consider scripture's command to help the poor? This piece attempts to address this issue and comes up with this solution: The Rev. Dallas Lenear, executive pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, uses Jesus as his template. "I don't recall a single time where Jesus helped someone who was drunk," he said. "He helped people who couldn't help themselves. He helped the lame, helped the blind, helped feed those who couldn't feed themselves. "But Jesus was full of grace and truth and we have to try to discern when should grace be applied and when truth is the better medicine," Lenear continued. "If someone is hurting because of something beyond their control, you apply grace and if they're hurting because of destructive behavior, you apply truth as the better medicine." Ok, so what does that mean exactly? What should I do if presented with this situation? We'll start with what experts suggest: Experts say don't give money. Experts at dealing with the poor are adamant that a compassionate responder addresses the person's need but avoids giving money in almost every situation. "Don't ever give money to panhandlers under any circumstances. The bulk of the people are going to use it for drugs or alcohol," said Don Tack, founder and executive director of Servants Center, an organization that reaches out to those who are homeless and mentally ill. He rattled off a list of places where the hungry can get a square meal, and he advised anyone who is likely to be panhandled to have that list memorized, too. In other words, one option is to send them to a place where they can get food. Here's another solution -- giving them food: She offers a McDonald's coupon for food, and offers them prayers for their situation. Another option is to decline individual requests but to give to or volunteer for charities that help feed the poor. My personal belief is that directing people to a place to find food or giving/buying them some food is the proper response. But I don't come in contact with panhandlers on a regular basis, so we focus our efforts on giving to organizations that help the needy How about you? What do you think the proper biblical response is to panhandlers? The Big City; The Handout That's No Help To the Needy By JOHN TIERNEY Published: December 4, 1999 WHETHER or not Paris Drake is guilty of flinging a brick at a woman on 42nd Street, his sudden notoriety is not doing a lot for New York's image. The stories of his life raise an obvious question: why was a crack addict with a history of violence and a long rap sheet prowling the streets? Some blame New York courts for being too lenient; some fault the city's social programs. But the most direct explanation has nothing to do with local policies. Mr. Drake was using drugs and hanging out on 42nd Street because out -of- towners were paying him to do it. He hustled around Times Square and the Port Authority bus terminal because the area had so many tourists and suburbanites (and a few gullible locals) willing to respond to his begging. Like other panhandlers, he relied on the kindness of strangers who thought they were helping someone with nowhere else to turn. "Drug addicts come from out of state to panhandle in Times Square," said James McNamara, who was once an addict himself living in a cardboard box. "The tourists think they're doing good, but they're just making it easier for them to get high, and that makes our job tougher." Mr. McNamara was busy walking along Eighth Avenue near 42nd Street offering help to street people who did not want it. He was one of many such missionaries working for public and private agencies in Midtown, which probably has more "outreach" workers per square mile than any other place on earth. He and his co- worker, Wendell Parks, passed a panhandler they had known for years. "His money's going for heroin," Mr. Parks said. "I guarantee you that 90 percent of the money people give to panhandlers goes to drugs and alcohol. It's frustrating. We'll be talking to someone for 15 minutes, finally getting somewhere, and then a tourist will drop him a ten or a twenty, and we're finished." Mr. McNamara and Mr. Parks work for the Times Square Consortium for the Homeless, which has meticulously tried to help street people -- and meticulously documented how difficult that can be. Financed by $800,000 a year in federal and state grants, the consortium of private groups has been running a "respite center" at St. Luke's Lutheran Church on West 46th Street near Eighth Avenue. Over the last four years, its outreach teams have invited nearly 1,000 people to the center, which offers showers, meals, clothes and beds for the night. After repeated coaxing -- on average, each person was contacted 10 times -- about 500 stopped in. More than 80 percent of them reported abusing drugs or alcohol; a third were judged mentally ill. The center tried to guide them through treatment programs and find them permanent housing. The success rate was above average because the eight- person staff -- which included a psychiatrist, two social workers and a specialist in drug and alcohol abuse -- was able to lavish attention on individual cases. BUT even with all that help, most people dropped out along the way. Fewer than 100 made it into halfway houses or permanent homes. Of the many reasons for the others' failure, one was undoubtedly the easy money available back on the streets. "What can I do when a guy tells me he's making $300 a day panhandling ?" Mr. McNamara said as he approached Times Square and spotted a man on the corner they had been trying for years to entice to the center. They invited him again, explaining that they had a coat and shoes waiting, but he waved them off. "I remember another gentleman," Mr. McNamara said, "that I managed to get in for a shower and a meal. We were working on getting him into detox, but he said, 'No, I'm going back on the street to smoke crack.' Well, that was his right. The next week I saw him on the subway with a cup pretending to be crippled. He said he needed money for an operation to straighten his leg." A hard -core libertarian might argue that there's nothing wrong with giving a panhandler money, even when it will be used for drugs. Aren't you and the panhandler both consenting adults? You might compare drug use with another taboo activity, prostitution, and say that adults should be free to spend their money and treat their bodies as they wish. But most people who patronize prostitutes do not pretend they're doing it for the prostitute's benefit. Most out -of- towners who give to panhandlers probably see themselves as altruists, though ultimately they may be the only beneficiaries from the transaction. They get to go home warmed by the glow of their generosity. The crackhead left behind is not their problem. http• / /www theworldlink.com/ articles / 2008/ O1/ 29/ news/doc479f709bd9f4l79862676I. txt Coos Bay, Oregon, "The World" By Alexander Rich, Staff Writer Tuesday, January 29, 2008 184 comment(s) C� 2008 The World Link. COOS BAY — There is a simple reason why panhandling is prevalent in Coos Bay. It pays well. A survey conducted by the Coos Bay Police Department found that people who ask for money outside the Wal -Mart on Newmark Avenue can make $300 in one day. In comparison, an employee inside the store, working at minimum wage, would need to put in five, eight -hour days to make that much. If residents want to see fewer panhandler in the area, they shouldn't look to the police. They need to stop giving out money and teach others to do the same. "We are not going to target panhandlers," said Coos Bay Police Capt. Rodger Craddock, who spoke a gathering of business owners at a presentation on panhandling Thursday. "We can't do that." "But if they aren't getting money from us, they aren't going to stand on that corner." Craddock explained that asking for money is considered protected speech, which means police have no reason to arrest someone for panhandling. He also noted that most panhandlers are not criminals. "They are nearly as likely to be victims of illegal acts as they are of committing them," he said. As an example, Craddock recalled an incident in which a panhandler was hit over the head with a flower pot and had his wallet stolen. The money in his wallet was not collected from panhandling, but rather was from public assistance checks. Craddock noted that most panhandlers are on public assistance and know where to go to receive help. "Most (panhandlers) have lived here a long time and actually have homes," he said. "This is just their chosen profession." Although most are docile, Craddock said some resort to criminal acts, including disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing. If such behavior occurs, Craddock asked that people report the incident as soon as possible. He noted that most such crimes do not involve jail time, but even being arrested can serve as a deterrent to crime. Bob More, director of housing and emergency services at South Coast Community Action, agreed that the worst thing to do is to give a panhandler money. "They are there for the money and the money is there to feed their addictions," he said. He suggested creating a voucher system, allowing residents to hand a panhandler a slip of paper that could be redeemed for a meal or a place to stay at a shelter. More also cautioned against stereotyping all panhandlers as people taking advantage of the kindness of others. He noted that some panhandlers have mental illnesses that need treatment. Those people won't seek help, More said, if they are being given money. "These are broken people who will never be able to hold a job," he said. "They need disability payments." Having brought up the issue of free speech, Craddock was asked if telling people not to help panhandlers might be restricting those people's speech. He was not inclined to view it that way and neither were most of the business owners in the audience. "We are trying to educate the community that they have a choice," More said. "That's not suppressing their freedom of speech." Bookstore owner Kate Fox said businesses should embrace their freedom of speech and put placards in store windows telling people not to give money to panhandlers. "This is about behavior modification," she said. Mayor Jeff McKeown, who was in attendance at the meeting, said it is a balancing act between preventing problems in the business district while pointing people in the direction of the services they need. "We have a responsibility to you business owners, but we also need to be empathetic to people in our community with these problems," he said. MSN Money How to handle panhandlers You may give or not give, but chances are you feel guilty and a little angry every time you're asked for money. You're hardly alone By Liz Pulliam Weston Andy Bales, president of the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles, said that not everyone who begs is homeless or indigent, and some panhandle primarily to get drug or alcohol money. Even beggars in the direst straits would be better off, he said, getting their needs met at a shelter rather than through individual donations on the street. "What they need is a hand up and encouragement to give life another try," Bales said. "They need a relationship that will help them out of a hopeless lifestyle." http: / /www.lubbockonline.com/ stories /050108/edi_274067076.shtml Here are a few other things to remember about panhandlers: • According to the Justice Department, most panhandlers are not homeless. A survey last year by the South Plains Homeless Consortium indicated 15 percent of local homeless people panhandled. • Panhandling isn't illegal in most of the city. However, if a business or other private property owner tells them to leave, they must comply or face criminal trespassing charges. Panhandlers often approach people outside of businesses, and the business owners or managers should be notified when that happens. • Caution is called for, but fear is not. A manager of a Depot District business was stabbed in 2006 when he asked a panhandler to leave. However, it is very rare a panhandling situation becomes dangerous. • People who are hungry or in need of medicine or other items know of organizations or churches provide such things for free. Escondido CA Police Department PANHANDLERS Please do not give money to panhandlers. The majority of the money you give to panhandlers does not go for food or clothing. Rather, it is spent on alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs. If you desire to help those in need, we suggest you contribute food, clothing, or money to any of the local charities dedicated to helping the needy. If you are asked for food or money on store premises, notify the manager immediately. Some local charities are: The American Red Cross; Salvation Army Thrift Store; North County Interfaith Council; St. Clare's Home; and Desert Industries Thrift Store. Remember, California Law, PC 647(c), prohibits panhandling. GIVING SPARE CHANGE Won't Make A Change In the past ,year, Grand Junction citi- zens have told die City Council and City staff about their concerns with the growing number of panhandlers in our area. Often citizens ask, 'Why doesn't the police department arrest panhandlers ?" The sim- ple answer is that holding a sign is a forni of free speech protected by the United States Constitution, so panhandling itself is not illegal., nor can the City pass an ordi- nance to make it illegal. "The Police Department receives a large number of complaints about panhandlers in Grand Junction," says Police Chief Greg Morrison. "But because holding a sign is a form of free speech, the Police Department has a limited number of options to dis- courage them." For that reason, the City of Grand r Junction and the United Way of Mesa County have i partnered with several social serv- ice providers on a campaign to ' reduce panhan- dling in the Grand Valley. The purpose of .ar: this campaign, _. called "Giving !! Spare Change Wont Make a Change ", is to educate Grand Valley resi- dents about the unfortu- nate destructive behaviors panhandling often supports. In the experience of local social service agencies like the Grand Valley Catholic Outreach, money donated to panhandlers is rarely spent on basic needs. "There are many free services avail- able to those in need in our area - includ- ing meals, shelter and emergency rent assistance," said Sister Karen Bland, Director of the Catholic Outreach. "So when panhandlers collect money, they are very likely going to spend it on drugs or alcohol." Instead of donating to panhandlers, the campaign encourages people to redi- rect their generosity to the many social service agencies in the Grand Junction area. These professionally run organiza- tions can stretch those dollars much fur- ther and obviously the money will not be spent on drugs or alcohol. You can send a tax - deductible donation to: United Way of Mesa County "Stop Panhandling Fund" PO Box 153 Grand Junction, CO 81502