City To Make Sleeping In Public Punishable By Jail Time

[The Straight Story]

City To Make Sleeping In Public Punishable By Jail Time
Opponents Say City Targets Homeless

POSTED: 7:27 am EDT October 12, 2005

VENTURA, Calif. -- Catching some "Z's" in public could land Southern California sleepyheads in a jailhouse bunk.

The Ventura City Council has given preliminary endorsement to a measure that would make illegal sleeping a misdemeanor. Currently, sleeping in public is an infraction similar to a traffic ticket. By raising the legal stakes, police could haul snoozers off to jail.

Supporters of the measure said stiffer penalties are needed to prevent illegal camping in places like parks and public beaches.

But opponents said making sleeping a crime is actually targeting the homeless. Since police began making river bottom sweeps to clear out homeless people, many migrated to downtown and other neighborhoods.

http://www.local6.com/news/5087780/detail.html

[liberalnurse]

1. Thats one way to get a roof over

ones head, a shower and a meal. It's done all the time.

[noahmijo]

5. lol that's EXACTLY what I was thinking

oh that'll solve the problem really well won't it?

Hate to say it but most jails are cleaner than alley streets littered with human urine, trash, and rats.

Plus you get a free meal.

[liberalnurse]

11. Yes they are cleaner than the alley.....

But, it is expensive and an almost impossible task of keeping them have clean. They typically only change blues and bedding weekly......Staph infect is at an all-time high in jails nationally. They need to push antibacterial soap use and have it accessible. issue. The population turn over and cost to the county makes it a real challenge. But it is way better than the street.

[Der Blaue Engel]

2. Just more "Compassionate Conservatism" in Bush's America

Make being homeless a crime. Next stop: debtor's prison.

[Selatius]

3. Yeah, this will target the poorest folks there, I fear

Rather than criminalizing their plight, the council might want to find better solutions to their problems than putting them in jail.

[JAbuchan08]

4. THEY are going to sleep somewhere

better in plain view than somewhere they'll die from exposure without anyone knowing or caring.

Edit to insert the right "they're" Sorry for the atrocious grammer. Although its kind of funny - I spelled atrocious right first try.

[dickthegrouch]

6. I hope falling asleep in council meetings has been excluded

from the definition of "in public".

I also hope that an exhausted RW fundraiser is the first to get caught.

[TahitiNut]

7. Being poor is a crime in Fascist Amrika.

:shrug:

[Ilsa]

8. I'm afraid alot of homeless won't appreciate having a roof over

their heads this way, especially if they are mentally ill. They may not make good roommates in jail.

If someone wants to be picked up this way, good for them. But I suspect it is mostly picking on poor and mentally ill folks. What if the poor person would welcome a roof, but they have a child with them? They might not want their kid taken away and placed in foster care while they are in jail.

[Chipper Chat]

9. Solves the problem of kids sleeping in the classroom.

Now the teacher can just cell-phone the Ventura police and have their asses hauled off to jail.
No snoozing child left behind!

[callady]

10. 1 in 400 Americans are homeless

this means of course that these homeless who may become incarcerated have committed the ultimate and only real crime in US. Poverty.

[newyawker99]

16. Hi callady!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[shenmue]

12. Never, never...

sit on a bench and close your eyes!

"City to penalize joggers taking a break" will not be the next headline, I'm guessing.

Nope, just penalize the poor. Who by definition have already lost everything else.

Great, huh!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

13. Narcolepsy.... haul me away... spare the beatings.

http://www.emedicine.com/neuro/topic522.htm

History: The classic tetrad consists of excessive sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis. Children rarely manifest all 4 symptoms.

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is the primary symptom of narcolepsy.
Sleepiness is a normal experience that cycles and invariably occurs after prolonged wakefulness. In healthy persons, mild sleepiness is apparent only during boring situations (eg, falling asleep while watching TV).
In patients with narcolepsy, severe EDS leads to involuntary somnolence during more active conditions such as eating and talking. Sleepiness in narcolepsy may be severe and constant, with paroxysms during which patients may fall asleep without warning (ie, sleep attacks).
Patients with narcolepsy tend to take short and refreshing naps (ie, REM type naps) during the day.

[Megahurtz]

14. What a stupid, stupid law. n/t

[SpiralHawk]

15. More Republican Control of personal freedom

What have they got against liberty?

Why do they hate America?

How long will the Republican Culture of Corruption go on?

Will the Red Sox come back next year to win the Pennant?