Rather, the USSR criminalized being homeless and not being engaged in socially-productive labor; people that were homeless ended up in prisons and were labelled as parasites.

Swap USSR with USA and the statement remains true. Though Im sure the degree of severity was much greater in the USSR.

[–] rchive@lemm.ee 22 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

That's kind of true in some parts of the US, indirectly. Some places criminalize not being homeless but all the things that are the result of being homeless like sleeping outside or in public places. But there are a lot of places in the US that do provide for the homeless. New York City has a right to housing provision, for example.

[–] galloog1@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's the problem with generalizing the United States. Every state has a different approach to the problem.

[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

And it fucking shouldnt be the case. Ensuring basic humanity and human dignity should be a key matter of the federal government and not delegated to the whimps of states opinions on waht constitutes human rights.

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

Well, shelter is not a human right that our government recognizes.

[–] rchive@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

If we set a national policy today and didn't allow local governments to set their own policies, I'm pretty sure we'd have a national policy of no help for the homeless at all. Be happy the places that do have support are allowed to because of states' rights.

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

If homeless people go to prison in this country, why have I never seen one arrested? Why are they … not in prison but rather sleeping on the street?

I’m not sure what you’re trying to claim here, as what you’re claiming is obviously false based on my day to day experience in the US

[–] abbotsbury@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

If homeless people go to prison in this country, why have I never seen one arrested?

this is selection bias, obviously

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 3 points 1 year ago

You have a very simplistic view of what it means for something to be criminalized.

[–] c0mbatbag3l@lemmy.world -2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Sure are a lot of homeless people not in prison for what you're claiming.

[–] Mango@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

I was homeless and police literally made up a reason to put me in jail and label me as a felon to make me be cheap labor when I plead guilty just to get out. No fair and speedy trial during COVID. I live in the US.

What the law tells you it's doing and what they're actually doing are very different. Don't try to tell me different because I'm a first hand example. If you're interested in the full story, let me know and I can do a Discord call or something.

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Prison would be a step up for a lot of them. They receive other punishments, like having all their belongings confiscated wherever a cop or some bureaucrat decides they're getting in the way too much.