[Cappy]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Fear is absolutely a deterrent and to think otherwise runs counter to everything science suggests about what motivates human beings. You need carrots and sticks. Not just one or the other.

Does the fear of incarceration prevent more crimes? I would assume, yes.

Do countries with heavier penalties for individual offences see less crime in that area? I assume, no.

Does a drug addict who is homeless fear incarceration? I doubt it. Do they fear getting beat half-to-death by a cop? probably not while they are on drugs

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Probably because many don't like the inevitable answer that any effective solution will require people to be detained in some fashion and removed from these places when conducting this behavior whether that be the police, mental health personnel, addictions treatment personnel . . . whoever. There's no end game solution to these problems that don't have this level of intervention at the very end of the flow chart regardless of how many offshoots and steps we take between.

I don't think detention or restraint is considered unacceptable in most peoples minds; however, I don't think people realize the actual cost of these types of initiatives. As PepsiFree eloquently pointed out, we as a society just implement half measures and expect it to go away.

a lot of people i talk to about this issue want to throw drug addicts in prison or a mental health center with the intent on removing the problem from their view. But the sheer cost of policing, hospitalization, and incarceration is not something a majority of people support (the "tough on crime" crowd and the "no new taxes" crowd go hand-in-hand)

It's probably cheaper as a society to house/supply/treat these individuals. But this is a conversation many people don't want to consider.

Originally Posted by curves2000

I've said it before and I will say it again, this problem doesn't exist to the same extent in a lot of large cities in other countries. It just doesn't. We've normalized it. Now, if some people need to be made an example of it, than so be it. Get the message across that you don't mess around and lot's of people will fall in line.

name the countries. Many countries have an assortment of programs and other tools that they use to limit the problem outside of "having people fall in line"

Go to Amsterdam and find the homeless people / drug addicts on the street. have they used intimidation tactics?