Police Confiscate Food and Sleeping Bags From Homeless

[Stark]

Based on what?

[Flagg]

Based on what?

Probably the whole "idle hands" thing. It ignores the benefits of crime to a criminal.

[Stark]

I just wanted to know if the idea had a source or was simply something he believed.

[CarsonPalmer]

On the other hand, depression among the long term unemployed is a real problem. Requiring some kind of community work, if it was done properly ("you're helping make the world a better place!" And not "justify your existence, work") and it gave an opportunity to be part of something wouldn't be bad, psychologically.

But more than likely it would be done in a humiliating means test manner and so not good.

[Temjin]

I've been thinking whether we should require jobless people on benefits to be involved in various community work. While it may not provide them with any real income, at least you are keeping them busy. A busy person is far less likely to turn to crime, even if he just doing community work.

I would actually be okay with this, but not for the reason you listed.

The main benefit in my mind would be them being able to keep up the habit of working.

I'm not saying people are homeless because they're lazy or anything like that. But once you are homeless, you have a lot of time on your hands, and that can last months before you're finally able to secure a job once again. There's plenty of people where I work who just can't hold down a job any more for any length time, because they always find the most petty of reasons. While they like the idea of having more money, they just don't like the idea of working anymore.

I know from personal experience that once you're in the habit of not having to go to work everyday, you really don't want to start it up again.

[ray245]

Based on what?

Probably the whole "idle hands" thing. It ignores the benefits of crime to a criminal.

Wasn't the idle hands thing one of the common reason for youth crimes? Of course there are other leading cause for crime, but keeping people away from the idea that no one wants to give them work would help them physiologically, like what CarsonPalmer have said.

[Grumman]

Based on what?

Probably the whole "idle hands" thing. It ignores the benefits of crime to a criminal.

The benefit of some crimes. It's not going to stop anyone robbing a bank, but it might work against things like arson and vandalism.