In San Francisco, people who are extremely drunk on the streets are locked in jail and released once they sober up. But a new plan, supported by the mayor, could force them to stay in jail or choose mandatory treatment for up to six months. Chronic offenders are often homeless. Critics worry it’s a short-term solution to a complex problem, and that it violates offenders’ rights. What’s the best way to deal with drunk people on city streets?
Host: Michael Krasny
Guests:
- Bevan Dufty, director of Housing Opportunity, Partnerships and Engagement (HOPE) for the City and County of San Francisco
- Jeff Adachi, San Francisco public defender
- Jo Robinson, director of Community Behavioral Health Services for the San Francisco Department of Public Health
- Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford School of Medicine, whose research focuses on the prevention and treatment of addictive disorders