If Mr. Coleman has a personal reason for this ideation of homeless drug abuse, I don't blame him. It's a chicken and egg question, coupled with the high percentages of mental illness, and alcoholism. But I can tell you through a lot of experience that it's far from the whole story for so many. Mandatory sentencing won't cure it. The fact of the matter is that there is no "one size fits all" answer.
There are people with debilitating medical problems who have no desire to fit in with addicts, drunks and loonies. There are people with dysfunctional mental problems who have no such desires either. Even drunks try to be useful members of society. But as they're left derelict (look up that word), they may have no choice but to go for the short sell, hoping to come out a little ahead.
The services needed to return people to a functional level in society aren't really there for those with deeper needs. Their only option seems to be to get badly warehoused and have religion and or authoritarian treatment that has little to do with normal living, if they can get it.
So yes, homelessness does kill. What you're seeing out there is what you would be doing if no one wanted you or couldn't help anyway. It wouldn't necessarily be your fault, and you shouldn't have to live with some hell on Earth insane treatment at the hands of others until you died even if maybe it was, should you? So, kudos for healthy scepticism, caution, etc. but don't judge us. At the resurrection we might be judging you.
