[hectorr]

I don't give money to panhandlers, I think it encourages bad behavior. But to anyone who asks, I look them in the eye, and say "sorry, not today". I'm surprised how few people do this, it takes less effort than actively ignoring someone.

[enraged_camel]

Why is it "bad behavior" to ask people for change?

A lot of pandhandlers panhandle not because they enjoy it, but because they believe they have no other choice. And that is often times the case: they don't have the resources (logistical, financial, social or other) or stable enough health (physical or mental) to find and hold onto jobs. And since they've got to eat, they panhandle.

People with your mindset are usually unable to really put themselves in the shoes of a homeless person. Rather, they think, "gosh, if I became homeless tomorrow, I would go get a job somewhere!" because for them, getting a job is relatively easy. They don't understand what chronic homelessness is like.

[Kalium]

There's a very common view that panhandlers and the homeless are principally the same population. It's possible that this view might not be completely correct: http://www.popcenter.org/problems/panhandling/endnotes/#endn...

[omginternets]

I skimmed through this and haven't seen anything supporting this claim.

Maybe I missed it. Could you elaborate?

[Kalium]

The footnote I linked contains several references and full study texts. The short version is that homeless panhandlers are definitely a phenomenon, but the overlap between the two populations is often significantly smaller than might be naively assumed.

[omginternets]

Yes, I read the text cited by footnote 26. I don't see where it says that.

[Kalium]

Please accept my apologies, I believe I've been unclear. Footnote 26 contains links to several papers that I believe include the salient data. A brief reading of one shows contents such as:

> Begging provided the main source of finance for this group of people with which to purchase drugs. It was not uncommon for them to earn £50 (Approximately $74 US) during a good day. Homelessness was an issue for around 30 percent of the beg- gars within the City Centre who were actu- ally sleeping in the bus station or car park- ing areas. Most of the remainder were technically NFA though, living in squats on the outskirts of the City Centre or tem- porarily with "friends," but likely to spend some time sleeping rough occasionally. One was living in a hostel and one had a permanent address.

[anigbrowl]

It really depends on the individual. but over time it's pretty easy to sort the grifters from the truly needy.

[ams6110]

> since they've got to eat, they panhandle

They don't spend the money on food.

[RugnirViking]

Can you link me to the study?

[paulcole]

>"sorry, not today"

How does this not encourage more panhandling (aka "bad behavior")? You're implying that maybe you'll have something for them tomorrow despite the fact that you never will.

Does saying that do anything other than make yourself feel better about not "actively ignoring someone"?

[akvadrako]

What would be a better thing to say? You don't want to start a conversation or be too rude, but also want to acknowledge them.

Personally, I try to ignore panhandlers to discourage it, but that is kinda like protesting elections by not voting. It feels a bit too much like apathy.

[Fargren]

Panhandling is probably bad enough that it discourages itself. There are reasons not to give, but I don't think you reduce panhandling by not giving, so "discouraging" is not a good reason. Hopefully some people will manage to get enough to move to something less bad.

[ams6110]

Talk to anyone who works at helping the homeless or impoverished, they will tell you that the vast majority of panhandlers are substance abusers looking for just enough money to get high. They are not doing it to eat (community kitchens are free) and they are not doing it to save up for something less bad.

[Fargren]

I would wager that changes a lot by locale. There are plenty of places without such a thing as community kitchen, where if you don't have money at the end of the they you are not going to eat.

And I also don't believe you are doing any favors to poor drug addicts by denying them access to drugs. The whole situation is shit, and there are forms of altruism that are much more effective than giving to panhandlers. But I have much trouble seeing it as "encouraging bad behavior". As I said, it's going to happen regardless.

[akvadrako]

Why would you say that? One person doesn't make much difference, but naturally panhandling follows the law of supply and demand like anything else.

[tmnvix]

> What would be a better thing to say?

"Sorry"