A few days prior to writing this I had an encounter with a homeless person that really impacted me. I currently work as a security guard, and one of my duties is patrolling the exterior of the property and making sure there aren’t any trespassers or other problems. On this particular day, I came across a man, curled up under a staircase, facing away from me. I called out to him, announcing that sleeping there was against the rules, and even threatened to call the police if he did not respond. The only reply I received was him rocking back and forth, still curled on the ground, and what I could only describe as a soft whimpering or crying.

The police were called, (as was my duty to do.) And I continued trying to verbally engage as I awaited police arrival. But there was no intelligible response.  When the police did finally arrive, they were able to get the man up and started talking to him, but he was barely coherent, shivering uncontrollably, and had “green goo” dripping from his nose and mouth (as one of the officers described.) Paramedics were called (by the police) who evaluated him, but later left when he declined medical aid.

The police spent some time trying to identify the man, as he produced no ID. They took pictures of his face and tattoos and sent them back to their dispatch. Eventually they figured out who he was, and I overheard that he had an outstanding felony warrant. So I assumed I was about to see the homeless man arrested.

I was wrong.

The police simply gave the man a written citation and sent him off barely able to walk into the cold night. One of the officers explained to me that the jail would not accept anyone who looked sick like he did for fear the might have Covid 19.

I felt sick myself. How many ways had this poor man been failed by the system.  I felt helpless. What could I do? As a security guard I had a contractual obligation to protect the property and people I was assigned to. I couldn’t let the man stay where he was. Nor could I insist the police or paramedics do differently then they were obligated to do.  But I could write about it, and explain how I feel we could do better.

Firstly, it is vitally important that we maintain negative consequences for criminal behavior. I don’t know what felony this man allegedly committed to get a warrant for his arrest, but a written citation cannot be the only consequence.

Removing the negative consequences for crime is not good for the victims of crimes, and it is not good for the perpetrators of crimes. Some people can motivate themselves to do good and avoid bad with no reward other than the inherent morality of so doing. But many of us require positive incentives for good behavior and negative consequences for bad behavior to help spur us to what we should be doing.  And a healthy society needs such a framework in place to keep civilization running smoothly. Imagine if there were no negative consequences for stealing from your employer… If you could not be fired, demoted or even reprimanded. How many people would be able to resist? Would the promise of rewards; bonuses, raises, or promotions; be enough to keep people honest?  I image it would for some, but certainly not for all.

By removing the negative consequences for this man, and others like him, we are doing him and the rest of society a disservice.

We are doing society a disservice when we release a sick man to potentially keep spreading disease. And by failing to discourage criminal behavior, both from this one man, and from others who may observe the lack of enforcement.

We are doing this man a disservice when we fail to get him the medical care he needs, and when we fail to give him the incentive to improve, and the opportunity to get on the path to a better life.