Their main excuse? Police were never properly trained on how to handle possession and use cases so they now want to offer immunity for a misdemeanor if you take treatment instead. If not, you get a misdemeanor and the draconian shit starts all over again. Source
The jailing has the street level appearance of fewer homeless on the street since they move to the jail for a bit. So while it’s going to cost the tax payer, the tax payer is going think “hey cool the homeless encampment is gone! Progress!”
Drug addiction and homelessness are really insidious problems.
Under 110 the choice was “Get treatment or get a $100 ticket that will never be enforced.”
Out of 16,000 people ticketed, less than 1% called the toll free number to ask for treatment.
Under the new rules it’s “Get treatment or go to jail.”
I wonder which will be more effective in getting people treatment?