[Evans, Marv]

When I was a kid, we had "bums" coming by the house once in a while asking if we could give them a sandwich. My mother said to never give them anything, because word would get around and others would come. We never saw large encampments.

A part of the problem is (as I understand it) money for treatment of mental conditions has been siphoned off. My belief is a large part of the population isn't interested in working and creating a responsible life for themselves. If they receive benefits, strictly enforced requirements need to be implemented. I'm basing this on my several years of dealing with the welfare population. As one early twenties young lady working in the program put it, "When I was at the university, they told me 95% of these people wanted to work. Now that I'm here, I find out it's 95% that don't want to work." But that's not a popular attitude as far as some people, like in the media, want broadcast. In an interview I saw recently on a local news channel, the head of a local help organization began telling the interviewer how they wouldn't show up for work, interviews, required work assignments, etc., etc. The interviewer cut off the interviewee very abruptly.

In my mind, it's a population made up of those who can't or have limited function well enough to be out in society and the world of work and those who still have initiative and want and deserve another chance. Those who want to should be helped to better themselves. Those who can't need to be pressured into mental help and facilities. Just letting them live according the their own devices and/or throwing money at them won't solve the problems.