[garbre]

This says a lot about a certain space within our current politics...

  Homelessness is a product of mental illness and shouldn't be criminalized... but let's not actually bother to treat these peoples' mental illness, either

I don't know if this is just wishful thinking or a product of shortsightedness and unthinking hostility towards "criminalization" and all it entails, but yes, this is where we end up.

To be clear, mental illness shouldn't be criminalized, but a lot of these people need either intense, voluntary support or in some cases to just be committed for their own good and the safety of others, especially when their mental illness is making them violent.