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Tuesday, August 28, 2007
News Housing for the homeless = jail?
Posted By Karen Shugart on Tue, Aug 28, 2007 at 3:54 PM
The number of homeless people in the Mecklenburg County jail increased by 24 percent, according to a July 26 count by the Homeless Services Network. The night's 609 homeless inmates made up more than one-fifth of the jail's population.
In its news release, the network also cited a recent study by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, which found that 41 percent of its most chronic offenders were homeless, commonly arrested for trespassing, public disturbance, or possession of alcohol.
We’ve heard a lot about the strain illegal immigrants put on local jails, particularly in Mecklenburg County. That’s one reason why Sheriff Jim Pendergraph’s taken pains to identify inmates here illegally so they can be deported.
Wouldn’t it be great if we put similar emphasis on addressing homeless folks, getting them off the streets and into supportive housing – the kind of housing that’s many studies indicate is actually cheaper for taxpayers than the cost of jail?
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