CATHOLIC CHARITIES: Homeless who drink left out: Agency gives breath test to men seeking shelter

[NVMojo]

December 3, 2006

The frail man wearing a too big, tattered brown jacket, grease-stained jeans, torn tennis shoes, a stocking cap and a tired, toothless smile pursed his lips and blew into a machine an inch from his mouth.

Held by a security staff member for Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, the yellow AlcoBlow device, which looks more like a flashlight than a breath test for alcohol, registered what the nervous homeless man hoped it would: He did not show signs of drinking.

Had his blood alcohol content shown evidence of his having consumed what amounts to one beer or a half glass of wine in the past hour, he wouldn't have been allowed to enter the winter shelter off Las Vegas Boulevard and Foremaster Lane that Catholic Charities runs as part of a contract with Clark County.

"I knew I hadn't drank anything, but I never trust machines," the man said. "I don't like having to go through this, but it isn't so bad when you consider you get a place to sleep if you pass. When you're homeless, you put up with an awful lot."

More than 200 men, shivering in the cold, underwent the same test late Thursday afternoon before they could get a warm bed. Administered by red-jacketed security personnel, the sobriety test policy is necessary "in the interest of safety," according to Catholic Charities community relations director Sharon Mann.

more...

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Dec-03-Sun-2006/news/11175349.html

[Cerridwen]

1. I guess Jesus won't be making any water into wine for these

men. You think the local parish priest could pass the breathalyzer after conducting mass?

Ah, yes, conditional "christian" charity.

[Liberal Veteran]

8. According to some of my fundy friends, it wasn't really "wine"

....just magical grape juice that didn't spoil.

[Cerridwen]

11. Ah, so they mis-translated that portion of the Bible?

Hmm, wonder what other portions were mis-translated?

John 2:1-11 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)


John 2

1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

[kizks9950]

32. a lot of them are just ignorant dolts

[Shipwack]

12. I've heard that too... What I don't understand is...

These are often the same fundamentalists that advocate the bible as the literal word of God, and infallible in every way. So they use it to justify their hatred of homosexuality, but ignore it when it shows that even Jesus liked having a glass of wine now and then.

:shrug:

[kizks9950]

31. 57% of americans are morons

[ToppleTheTeaParty]

53. At first I thought you had wrote that 57% of americans are

Mormons.

YIKES!!

That would be a lot of holy underwear to produce. I'm sure Harry wouldn't mind that statistic though.

http://bit.ly/cCI5AW

[Tyo]

13. Sounds like a pretty good description of wine to me n/t

[kizks9950]

37. brandy

[kizks9950]

38. Haha. nice

[kizks9950]

29. awesome

[musette_sf]

2. based on my childhood memories as a RCC member

they need to start this sh!t at the rectory.

[EFerrari]

15. No kidding. n/t

[kizks9950]

42. good luck

[kizks9950]

30. burn some firewood

[Warpy]

3. A lot of shelters do that very thing because too many

drunks are BELLIGERENT and will start fighting for any imaginary reason. Drunks also catch on fire a lot, especially if they smoke.

I recently read of an experimental apartment unit (San Francisco???) where there is no "zero tolerance" requirement for residents who drink. They've had some success getting people back on their feet, finding jobs and saving enough to get their own places, but the program's new.

There's got to be a better way. I've seen untreated DTs, and I know they're 50% fatal. A lot of people on the street MUST drink every day to survive. Long term alcoholics can function with blood alcohol levels that would put most of us into a coma.

I hope I can find more articles on that experimental housing program for street people who continue to drink. Since the country's too mean to provide any of the tiny, cheap personal housing units that have been proposed in the past, maybe this will show us how to be compassionate.

[kizks9950]

36. Good

[NVMojo]

4. makes one wonder if they have accepted federal grant dollars from

Bush's faith-based initiatives funding.

[kizks9950]

35. Definiately not

[frankenforpres]

5. breathalyzer is a little weird but...

i had friends who were sort of like security (weird term) at a homeless shelter, to deal with not letting drunks in. it sounds horrible, but i guess the inebriated create a lot of trouble for all the non-drunk. i imagine this place had similar problems, though the solution seems a little heavy handed.

[kizks9950]

41. Fucking unbelievable

[Tyo]

6. Any priests in the area should have to take the same test

And a night out on the street if they fail.

[kizks9950]

43. good idea

[Joe Chi Minh]

7. I strongly suspect it's a regrettable but necessary practical measure.

Don't get me wrong. When I give someone something, I hope they DO spend it on drink. Anything that makes their existence just a little bit more bearable. Is it reprehensible for them to anaesthetise their brain? And I laughed like a drain when I read that a certain actor (I think an Irish one) said that he always insisted that it should be spent irresponsibly, preferably on drink! Rich people tend to drink quite heavily, because of the spiritual imbalance they have chosen to espouse in their pursuit of wealth, status and power. These homeless people are mostly innocent victims, pure and simple.

It has been asserted that the stress level due to living on the streets is equivalent to a soldier's active service in the field. Consequently, there are not a few, very, very damaged individuals (women worst of all), who, like many other more fortunate folk, are prone to be very antisocial, violent, in fact, when drunk.

And most of the people (at least 50%, i.e. the women) whose lives are dedicated to providing help to other less fortunate folk, who are "under the cosh", because of the evil nature of our political and economic culture, are perhaps less able to deal with violence -certainly on the routine basis that would obtain, were it not for the introduction of this breathalyser test. I suspect that that man questioned on the subject would have been the first to know and appreciate this point.

[hedgehog]

17. Very often, the drinking is the reason they are on the street.

More booze is not the solution.

[Joe Chi Minh]

19. Of course, it's not. But pending even a semblance of a solution,

it'll do for those who find comfort in it - in the case in point, at least if they prefer to be temporarily turned away from the sheler.

[kizks9950]

48. clueless you are

[kizks9950]

45. yup

[kizks9950]

33. indeed

[LynnTheDem]

9. How very "christian".

I'm so sure Jesus would approve.


NOT.

[Joe Chi Minh]

22. Rubbish! You haven't given it much thought, have you? Christ was nothing if

not practical about his compassion.

[kizks9950]

46. dolt

[Thornleylv]

54. No the word is unconditional compassion

Thats the only true compassion. unconditional. If it is not then it is a devise to manipulate.

[kizks9950]

44. touche

[struggle4progress]

10. Homeless shelters get all kinds of clients. People try to bring in

knives, and guns, and sharpened screwdrivers. People try to sneak in needles and alcohol and some will try to smoke marijuana in the shelter if they can. Calling 9-11 on clients who are out of control may happen regularly. Some people really have nowhere else to go and come to the shelter to die.

The people who show up at a shelter are living on the street, which is a rough life, and any respite they can get from the unpleasant street-life is a welcome opportunity for some of them to think clearly and try to get back up on their feet. Shelter staff need a peculiar collection of skills to function: they need to be alternately tough and sympathetic; they need to listen, and they need to learn when not to listen. A well-run shelter requires the clients to participate in the routines that help the shelter function, not only because the shelter has very limited funding but because the clients themselves benefit from the dignity that the shelter community can provide and because they need to be productive.

Shelter staff may not uniformly enforce breathalyzer results. Shelters are less occupied on warm nights and may make special space accomodations for people and bend the rules a bit when the weather is bad. But if there is limited space, and if there is a need to maintain a calm environment, then a rule involving intoxication may be reasonable to enforce, especially when clients already know about the rule.

[kizks9950]

40. idiots they are

[onehandle]

14. How do the Atheist Charities handle this? nt

[Joe Chi Minh]

20. How indeed?!?!

[kizks9950]

49. good post

[Giant Robot]

23. Our shelter operates in a similar manner

People need to be clean and sober, no warrants out for them (yes background checks are done). They also have a lot of programs aimed at helping people get back on their feet and are well connected with other human service agencies.

Our area churches have come together to open their doors in the winter time to aid the homeless population. I live in Michigan so winter is a dangerous time to be homeless, and our area shelter is almost always full. The churches just want no one bringing in drugs/alcohol, but people can sleep there under the influence. It keeps people warm and safe.

No I don't believe either one is a perfect answer. Both have their functions, but really some structure like this is needed in my opinion.

[AngryOldDem]

27. The one I worked at had a similar policy too.

With our serving upward of 200 people a night, we could not take the chance of someone drunk or high getting violent. And believe me, there were times when a few of those slipped under our radar and caused all sorts of trouble -- assaulting other guests and staff, yelling racist and other inflammatory things in a crowded room full of people, tables, and folding chairs -- there are reasons why shelters have rules.

One or two people will NOT jeopardize the safety of hundreds of others.

The only time when that policy would be relaxed would be in the winter, and that was because of the life-threatening aspects of alochol and cold. But make no mistake -- if people came in stirring up shit, they were asked to leave. Sometimes at police invitation.

And I might add that most homeless are not clueless, helpless, or defenseless as some on DU like to portray them. They know perfectly well the expectations shelters have of behavior, and the homeless themselves make the choice to either follow the rules or not. Most do. But it takes only one or two, as I said, to cause serious problems.

[kizks9950]

50. depends on the test

[kizks9950]

39. quite a quandary

[hedgehog]

16. The policy may need some adjustment, but I can see the reasoning.

This way people in the shelter are guaranteed a quiet night uninterrupted by a drunk in the next bed. What if you were a single mother with a couple of kids who ended up on the street? I think you'd be very glad for a zero tolerance policy. Also, if you read the article, the staff does direct people to alternate shelters that aren't so strict.

The homeless are really a mixed bag.Some are people down on their luck who just need shelter until they can get back on their feet financially. Some could be battered women who grabbed the kids and ran. Some are the stereotypical street people, the mentally ill, the alcoholics, the drug addicts. No single answer fits all the needs.

I give money to men begging on the street. I figure it's up to them to decide whether to spend it on alcohol, food or shelter. At the same time, I wouldn't make light of the problem of alcoholism. There is nothing redemptive or cute about drinking so much that you end up living from one bottle to the next. Encouraging a street person to get drunk is careless and cruel.

[Joe Chi Minh]

21. I have better reason than most not to make light of alcoholism, but

I know that that actor's strictures, if true, wouldn't influence an alcoholic or anyone disposed to drink under extreme stress one jot.

But it's good to hear you keep your thoughts to yourself when you give such needy people money. If it's at all possible, they need people who can help them "lighten up" a little, much more than they need slightly pompous "moral" strictures. There are far too many people who use such "fears" as an excuse for not giving money at all. If not that, too much money is spent by charities on their administration costs.

[kizks9950]

52. Absolutely nuts

[kizks9950]

51. interesting point

[Monkeyman]

18. Last night temp went down to 17

I wonder how many turned down then.

[Doctor_J]

24. WOuldn't that exclude like 40% or more?

alcoholism is a big reason for indigence.

[NVMojo]

25. I'm still trying to figure out why the mods moved this from LBN. I am such a loser!

A DU loser!!!

[medeak]

26. You were banned and you are no loser!!!!!!

If Skinner et all knew how well connected you are and what a player for dem party this would have never happened.

Am sickened by their actions and emailed them so...expect self to be banned as well.

[kizks9950]

47. chilis

[kizks9950]

34. a true oxymoron

[kizks9950]

28. both