Many cities—and even some states—increasingly are cracking down on panhandling, driven in large part by the unlikely combination of thriving downtowns and the lingering effects of the Great Recession.
The number of cities with outright bans on panhandling increased by 25 percent between 2011 and 2014, while the number of cities with restrictions on begging in specified public places, such as near schools or banks, rose by 20 percent, according to a report by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, an advocacy group.
In Cincinnati, where begging is already banned near ATMs, parking meters and restaurants, the city is considering a ban on panhandling within 50 feet of schools. In July, Tennessee outlawed aggressive panhandling, making it a misdemeanor for panhandlers to touch strangers without their permission, block their path, follow them or make threats. In May, Utah banned panhandlers from soliciting in traffic, and the same month Atlanta outlawed panhandling throughout a swath of downtown.
But panhandling bans have faced legal challenges on First Amendment grounds—and a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling has provided additional ammunition to opponents who argue such laws trample free speech protections.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
4 comments:
What about Vagrancy laws, use them, or the laws against Gypsies, they are still on the books.
How is the guy perched in front of the entrance of the mall going to be ale to buy his several 44oz bottles of Olde English 800 malt from the Beer Cave every day?.
These people have always been around and they always will be.When I was a kid they followed the railroad tracks and camped in wooded areas around those tracks.In more recent times they've ventured into the public realm and have become an issue.In the news this past week various cities are building complexes to house this segment of our population.That will require the hiring of many employees to maintain such a thing and in the end will be a catastrophic failure.The fact that there is no answer IS the answer,and those who sit in various locations with the signs have a perfect right to do so.Homelessness was their choice,as most had good jobs at one time,or could have made a career out of the military instead of blaming it for their problems.I choose not to provide them with drugs and/or alcohol.
You can't go out to eat with out being harassed.
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