Some of the largest cities in the United States have made begging for money a criminal offense. In Montgomery, Ala., city leaders have considered jail time for those who give handouts to roadside panhandlers.

Panhandling in North Dakota, the act of soliciting money, can be charged as a B misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine. While panhandling does occur in Minot, it is rarely prosecuted. Aaron Moss, Minot Police, explains how panhandling is generally dealt with by local law enforcement.

“Typically it is handled through education,” said Moss. “We choose to educate the offender rather than arrest, so there’s very few arrests. On the whole, panhandlers tend to be very cooperative with very low pushback.”

Moss described panhandling as a “very deceptive practice,” adding that panhandling laws are very difficult to enforce because it is virtually impossible to know how much money a person needs. A common practice for panhandlers is to hold up a sign saying they need money to get home or for food or medicine.

“They can hold up a sign as long as it doesn’t claim a need that doesn’t exist,” said Moss.

Any act of aggression by a panhandler, such as stepping into traffic to stop a vehicle, crosses the line from quiet panhandling to becoming a threat or nuisance. Minot’s Code of Ordinances, Section 23-22, explains that the ordinance is to “protect persons from threatening, intimidating or harassing behavior, and to keep public places safe and attractive for use by all persons” and that it is intended to “provide for the free flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic on streets and sidewalks in the city.”

While panhandlers who disrupt traffic will almost certainly attract the attention of law enforcement, so too will those doing their panhandling in certain areas or at certain times, such as near Automatic Teller Machines or after dark.

“Most don’t want to cause trouble, just make the most amount of money in the least amount of time and move on to the next town,” explained Moss.

Louis McLeod, Minot Homeless Coalition director, says Minoters have a reputation for being “big hearted” and that observation is passed from one panhandler to another, sometimes from one group to another.

“They pass that word around that Minot is a good place to go to make good money,” said McLeod.

There have been instances of graffiti in Minot that sends a message to fellow panhandlers.

“I’ve seen that on bridges near railroad tracks,” said Moss. “They leave notes for each other saying where to go.”

Panhandlers can be organized in other ways too. Moss said there have been times in Minot when a group of panhandlers would get into a van and be dropped off at various locations in search of donations. For the benevolent and caring citizen, it is almost impossible to know if a donation to a panhandler is really going toward helping a less fortunate person.

“For some panhandlers it is not a necessity. They are there by choice,” said McLeod. “They get as much money as they can while holding up a sign that says “‘I will work for food.”‘

A person offering a gift of food to a panhandler or their pet, said McLeod, is often surprised not by a customary “thank you” but rather by “can I have the money instead?”

“As soon as you hear that it is your sign. Bells should go off right away,” explained McLeod. “If they are there more than two days they are not homeless and not in need. They are looking at a hotspot.”

Furthermore, said McLeod, such panhandlers not only take donations away from legitimate non-profit organizations but have an adverse impact on those truly in need.

“For a lot of people times are hard,” said McLeod. “Money given to false panhandlers could have went to United Way, Companions for Children and other good, bona fide non-profits in the area that actually have an impact and are making a difference.”

McLeod said a homeless person, which is a claim many panhandlers have on the signs they hold up, is concerned about where he or she is going to stay, get a hot shower and a meal versus panhandlers who are only concerned about obtaining money.

How much money a panhandler makes ranges considerably from location to location and day to day. While it is known some panhandlers take in as much as $80,000 per year, the average is much less. Nevertheless, says Moss, his experience as a police officer has shown that panhandling can be very lucrative.

“I talked to one girl just outside of Minot’s Walmart who made $400 in three hours,” said Moss.

McLeod put the figure of $1,500 to $2,000 per week on the income of local panhandlers, adding that it was “tax free that could go to another charity.”

Panhandling in Minot is somewhat seasonal with far less activity during the cold winter months than in the warmth of spring and summer.

“Professional panhandlers tend to go to warmer weather this time of year,” explained Moss. “It’s their only source of income and they can make a pretty good living at it.”

There’s another aspect to panhandling that has caught McLeod’s attention, especially when considering the generosity of people in the Minot area.

“Most of the people who give don’t really have it to give, but they want to do something good,” noted McLeod.

Minot’s city ordinance states that any solicitation is unlawful if the panhandler states that funds are needed for a specific purpose and then the funds obtained are used for something else. Common requests for donations include being a person that is stranded and trying to get home, has a physical disability or are a “down and out” veteran of military service.

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Panhandler statistics

1- Up to 80% of panhandlers have spent time in jail.

2- Over 20% of panhandlers have done time in a state prison.

3- Most crimes committed by panhandlers are poverty related.

4- 58% of panhandlers have been doing so at least 5 years.

5- 44% of panhandlers say they use drugs or alcohol at least once per week.

6- Having a pet or companion increases a panhandler’s intake.

Source: brandon

gaille.com