Shelters and detention centers are very much alike. You’ll have to fight to survive, or like they say, “survival of the fittest. ”
Instead of trying to rehabilitate someone, they dehumanize.
Take jail for example. When you’re in there and you have no one of importance, like families, lawyers, or just people with power, they’ll treat you in any kind of way or sometimes just ignore you. I’ve been in multiple situations while incarcerated where I needed help and no one would come to my aid. An inmate is only supposed to be locked in their cells for up to 23 hours and let out for one hour to do their daily business like hygiene, counsel calls, and recreation (which is a privilege), but even that’s violated at times. People have died from lack of attention even though it was reported to the correctional officers that they have health issues. There’s been times where we’ve had to bang and kick on the door to get attention, and when we ask for a supervisor, sometimes the situation gets handled but most times it doesn’t. They would house an inmate that has a misdemeanor with a person who’s facing felony charges like murder. So if I’m locked up for unpaid tickets I’ll be in jeopardy of not making it out because I’m housed with people who have felony charges like murder, rape, kidnapping, and human trafficking.
Now imagine being homeless and having to go through that on both ends, while incarcerated and while released. The same thing that goes on in the jails is the same thing that goes on in the shelters.
Here’s a few examples.
Day to day, there’s always someone who will take their frustrations out on us (even though they know that it’s wrong). They don’t think about trying to handle situations in a non-hostile way. Something is always changing without us being forewarned about it and without an update about it in the written policy. We get checked or searched at certain organizations on a daily basis, we can’t bring food in, it’s very unsanitary and dirty, professionalism is horrible, and you have to watch your stuff at all times because there’s no telling whether a client or even the staff will steal your stuff.
They often think that the situations we’re going through are funny or just not worth being bothered with.
Most are very disrespectful, rude and lazy. They don’t like to answer the phone. They don’t want to clean on a regular basis (which is why most shelters don’t pass health inspections and why most would rather stay on the streets).
There’s always fighting for no reason, even with the staff or security present. They’re the ones who are supposed to deescalate the situation. Even when grievances are being filed, nothing is resolved.
Staff and security members have yelled at and cursed at us because someone has a mental disorder and probably hasn’t taken their pills, or some old guy is drunk and decides he wants to be superman on a cane or wheel-chair or crutches. Totally harmless, yet security and staff like to escalate problems with these kinds of people.
Both shelters and detention centers have people who abuse their positions of power. These people are supposed to help rehabilitate us and not keep us in turmoil. It seems like whenever anyone speaks up against wrongdoing there’s a problem.
I guess we’re supposed to be silent and just accept the abuse that the most fortunate bestow on us. Is there a chance that for once, someone could keep their word when they say that they’re going to do more good than bad?
So who’s responsible for these people treating us like this?
Thing is, certain people don’t have to go through this all day, every day. They have their own homes, or friends and family who can help them get their act together. Some of us don’t have that luxury, so we have no other choice.
Us less fortunate people don’t need more hell than the one we’re already going through. People’s families have given up on them because of their way of life and the government has turned most of their attention away from us. We’re just trying to find out why they are using us as an excuse to get more money that we hardly see.
Instead of trying to resolve problems, shelters and jails create them.
Both the courts and shelters have impossible expectations of people who are already struggling and refuse to work with us.
For example, I’ve got two different cases: one in Maryland and one in D.C. At first, I had to appear in court on the same date in DC and in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. I have no car. They know that I’m homeless. The courts have ignored the pleas of me and my case worker for a later date. My request was denied. I had a choice: a warrant for me, either in D.C. or Maryland. Heck of choice in spite of them knowing my situation. I also did not get a lawyer in spite of the efforts of me and another case worker. My case worker called and left messages. This is illegal treatment — a violation of my constitutional rights — by the system. Finally it was resolved, the week before my trial date. For a month, my case manager and I made repeated requests through voicemails and even a filing we had to submit in person because they would not accept email.
Similarly, I had a friend tell me she got her bed taken away at a shelter because she had to go to the hospital. Staff told her that it doesn’t matter why she had to leave, “because once you leave your bed is vacant.” She also had to make a choice: risking sitting and suffering through an illness all night, or risking giving up your bed to go get treatment?
These impossible choices, rules and policies make matters worse for us, and yet homeless service organizations and jails tell the world and the community how much they care and need donations to help us escape the cold and get better food, clothing and housing. Sometimes we see them, but most times we don’t.
Until this stuff is investigated, they are going to keep doing it. We need more help and more people to speak out on our behalf. If we don’t, more people in this situation will continue to be mistreated.
Donté Turner is a vendor and artist with Street Sense Media.
