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RowsCrayons t1_j2v8vwa wrote

So the fine can only be issued to repeat "offenders" after an alternative option (like an emergency shelter) is offered by the state. If they can't pay the fine (issued following their express refusal to attend a viable emergency shelter(which Springfield lacks)) they can elect to serve time in jail or in a work program for the state. The bill (Missouri House Bill 1606) is absolutely bonkers and it's worth reading the sections on homelessness.

Also in the bill: Complete cuts of state funding to permanent housing providers. Allows the state to allocate federal funding and GRANTS away from permanent housing providers. Gives permission to the attorney general (a wild boy) to sue any city that is not adhering to the new laws dictated in 1606.

There is an immense amount of strange stuff written into the homeless language of 1606. I encourage everyone once again to look some of it over.

Edit: Formatting

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PizzaJester t1_j2w3b7e wrote

I'm native to Missouri and was homeless for a few years, I literally moved across the country so I could get better support.

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Prometheus720 t1_j2xrna8 wrote

  1. Where did you move to?

  2. How are you doing now?

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PizzaJester t1_j6enaei wrote

Florida because my bf did a vocational rehab thing and got me into it as well.

I still want to die though lmao

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genmischief t1_j2wzbia wrote

>they can elect to serve time in jail or in a work program for the state

Well, at least it gets people into a hot meal and a dry roof... and hopefully into some kind of diagnostic program to help them work through whatever broke in their lives that lead to this.

is it great? No. is it SOMETHING? yes.

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saleiusbassus t1_j2x5k06 wrote

It sucks that every night in jail will make it harder to find long term employment or housing. The bill seems as inept at addressing the issue as it is cruel.

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NoStable3808 t1_j2xnq4m wrote

A lot of folks could benefit from 15 days of detox paired w 3 hots and a cot. Might be a good start. 🤷‍♀️

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genmischief t1_j2xa8bv wrote

As opposed to, dead under a bridge? yeah, crazy.

Can you feel my eyes rolling?

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Professional-One-442 t1_j2y8a5o wrote

Actually most aren’t dying under a bridge. This whole effort was actually meant to target KC and STL. There were plans to increase long term housing this was the response. Also I can tell you that communities outside KC bus their homeless here from as far away as ST Joseph. Most outlining communities have zero program and their only response is to “own the libs” by sending their problems here. How very Christian of them.

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tecate5 t1_j2xj7sr wrote

They love having people in jail, they can ask for more state funding. This is not a solution.

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RowsCrayons t1_j2x9jt5 wrote

Yeah that's the argument from DeGroot and the legislators who support it. Their hearts are in a good place, but the homeless problem in Springfield is built on addiction and debilitating mental illnesses-things that won't be solved in jails; things that don't have a great solution at all.

I'm not sure what the answer is. This will definitely limit our exposure to homelessness. Some folks will be in jail, others will retreat deeper into the forests they were living in anyway.

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jjdajetman t1_j2yrwj6 wrote

Ya taking away a persons freedom and treating them like a criminal when they clearly need help. That sure is something!

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Excellent_Two4862 t1_j3op35z wrote

So help ‘em. Move ‘em into your place. I’m tired of being accosted when I’m minding my own business. Prefer to lock ‘em up.

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[deleted] t1_j2zbz1n wrote

None of this has shown to be effective. There's no money provided to help these people, just incentive to jail with no plan. That's like saying let's criminalize something and IT'S AT LEAST SOMETHING.

No. It's less then nothing, it's just more pain and more problems shoved into an already stressed system.

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nickcash t1_j2xy0w8 wrote

MO charges a daily board when you're in jail. This is just breaking their lives further by putting them in debt.

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asander85 t1_j2zfe7h wrote

I can certainly appreciate that point of view, but as someone who has spent time in Missouri Jails (wrongly accused, found not guilty at trial BTW) I can attest that this is NOT a viable solution. Major step backwards, and from what I can see can only cause more harm than good.

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