News May 14, 2009 at 4:00 am

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Belltown?

Comments

1
I'd be interested to know what the average age is for Clean Dreams clients. An *average* of 7.7 prior convictions seems like a lot. Also, how long a period of time is covered by that "18 percent of clients reoffend" statistic. Is that over ten years, or five years, or one year...?
2
re: Just a guy... Sounds like the 18% of clients reoffending is based off of statistics from the Rainier Beach Clean Dreams, which Jonah said began only 3 years ago. I'm not convinced this is a long enough time frame for this statistic to be completely valid in comparison to incarceration. That said, it still sounds like a healthy option for the community, tax payers, and addicts.

I'm curious about how/if drug-related arrests have changed in Rainier Beach since Clean Dreams' arrival.
3
agreed with irma. it's great if individuals lives get fixed up, but does it reduce drug crime in the neighborhood?
4
I totally support this solution. Throwing people in jail for a couple days isn't going to solve issues of addiction, it's just going to make them hungrier. As a society with any conscience, we should treat this as a health issue and provide the type of care these people desperately need.
6
I'd also like to know how many of the people who are selling drugs in Belltown actually *live* in Belltown (and how many of them are just commuting in from another neighborhood). Also, I wonder just how many of the people who buy drugs in Belltown actally *live* in Belltown (and how many live in other areas but visit Belltown because of its reputation as "the place to go" for whatever thrills they're looking for).

The Clean Dreams program seems to be a good idea in a stable population, where the clients are long term neighborhood residents who aren't going to move around. But if a lot of these folks are essentially gypsies who'll wander from one neighborhood to another depending on where the cops aren't hanging out, I don't know if it will be the most effective solution for a significant part of the Belltown problem.
7
Just a guy -- drugs addicts are never a stable population. For most of them, their only friends are other drug addicts, as they've lost contact with other family in friends because of problems surrounding their addiction. Homeless and near-homeless drug addicts can't generally *afford* to live in Belltown. If we establish a culture of treatment and try to break down the stigma that comes with seeking treatment for illegal drug abuse and addiction (whereas we much more encourage alcoholics to get treatment), the dealers will have no one to sell to out there anymore.
8
@1&2 - 3 years is an eternity for a crackhead.

Please wait...

and remember to be decent to everyone
all of the time.

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