Policing Homelessness Away?

On September 24, 2006 Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced the public launch of the 'Safer Cities Initiative' on skid row - a police effort at the behest of development interests to "crack down on crime." One year after its launch, our guest, UCLA Law professor Gary Blasi, has released a study of the initiative, and its findings are staggering. Although skid row is only 3/4 square mile in size, it has been subjected to an unprecedented police presence. Thus in one year, police issued some 12,000 citations even though the total estimated population of skid row is only 12,000. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the citations have been for jaywalking. Moreover, the police have made 9000 arrests, though less than 2% have been for violent offenses. And while the city spends some $100,000 on housing for LA's skid row population, the cost of the 50 extra police officers to patrol the area hovers at $10 million. All of this begs the question: Is the City of Los Angeles attempting to police homelessness away?