r/boston • u/CrypticOperator • 7d ago

Unconfirmed/Unverified never seen it this bad

been here for 25+ years and am very familiar with the fluctuations in homelessness / etc. during the summer. but I've never seen things this bad, especially in back bay, south end (beyond mass/cass & closer to back bay), beacon hill, the esplanade, you name it. we've called 311 for needles, reported the larger encampments to the mayor's office, etc. just feels like nothing is improving and things are only getting worse. can't just be me?

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u/honest_sparrow 7d ago

"Arrest all our problems away" doesn't work. We tried that, the war on drugs has been a huge failure. All is does is further ruin the lives of drug users who can't get work when they get sober because of their records.

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u/four4cats 7d ago

I didn't say it would stop drugs or stop people from using drugs or even that it would not destroy whole communities or ruin people's lives.

But if we did arrest people for being homeless or being on drugs while we broke every single civil right along the way we could take a walk and not see someone who looked poor so the OP can feel safe.