We need a 4th emergency service for people in crisis to just evac them from bad situations, almost like the witness protection.
I don't want to get too political in shower thoughts, but this would solve a lot of the hot button issues if more people just had safer and supportive environments to escape to and volunteers / paid professionals to help them on the other end.
This is one example of how the current criminal justice system prioritizes capitalism over public safety. People who live paycheck to paycheck don't have resources to remove themselves from situations where they know they are in danger. Most people are murdered by people they know, not strangers. This is especially true in terms of women's pay inequality, where this systemic failure makes it harder for women to separate themselves from abusive partners, who often end up killing them. If you want to reduce murders, you need some wealth distribution, not more policing.
That was the whole point of defund the police - shift social/mental health services to people who are trained in those areas and let cops focus on crime rather than domestic disturbances.
It was a shame they went with such a terrible name for this. It just gave the other side way more bs talking points.
Hell the Austin Tx police department (union really) is still butt hurt that they even thought about taking away money from them that they are still refusing to respond to most calls.
This is one of the reasons abusers pressure you to quit your job-- so even if you were finanically stable before, you end up becoming financially dependant on them so you can't just leave. It also makes it nigh-impossible for kids, even kids of wealthy families, to escape abusive situations before they're old enough to get a job (and you can bet their parents will run interference to keep that from happening as long as possible, or else figure out a way to coerce them into giving them their paychecks.)
You say we don't need more policing, but I have a point to interject.
I was completely sober while my wife was decidedly.... not. She had just struck me and it would produce a black eye later.
I called the police, aside from the abuse, my wife was experiencing a mental breakdown and was on the verge of suicide. When I say verge, I mean I had hidden or destroyed anything she could hurt herself with, including my own psych meds that I need for my own mental health issues. She still tried, though ineffectual. We needed professional help. We wanted an ambulance. We requested an ambulance from 911. The pigs showed up, of course.
I had a swelling eye, a witness, and a dramatically unstable wife and was almost arrested.
The police do not care about your well being. "Serve and protect" has been stricken down by the Supreme Court. The police serve the 1%, and deal with us plebians as easily as possible... that is to say, they will ruin your life because it is easier than taking care of the actual offender.
We need a support agency for health, especially mental health, crises. A mentally unstable person can cause a lot of damage, either to their own life, or others. That includes death.
End statement. TL;DR; we need a public agency that helps people who are having a mental health crisis and doesn't treat them as violent extremists.
I don't think this is just a capitalist problem. I don't think there's been an economic system in human history (practiced, not theorized) that helped the have nots to the same degree as the haves.
The city I live in has a "crisis services" unit for mental health crises, drug abuse related crises, welfare checks, psychiatric evaluation for hospitalization, and so on.
I've used one of these before. The main problem is that you're often put on a hold for at least 72 hours.
And while this does help get you out of that immediate crisis, missing 3 days of work and pay can actually put you in a worse position when you get out.
And mental institution stays aren't always super helpful for long-term mental health. Many of them are as bad, if not worse than being in jail.
What's the scope of help you're thinking of? Do you need to get out of a home situation for a while? You could drink a 6-12 pack and go to your local AA/NA inpatient rehab. Bring a piece of paper with import phone numbers on it and you can spend 2-4 weeks tucked away where absolutely no one knows where you are except the person(s) you call out to.
I don't condone abusing services like that. But if you really gotta go, there are options.
Absolutely. And safe, private apartments the people being evacced can stay at for a few weeks / months while they look for work. Not "shelters" that are usually anything but (assuming you can even ones with space available for you in your area).
Maybe we'll end up with just 1 half of the country where people are all chill and caring and the other half can be toxic to each other because they thrive off of unhealthy drama. But oh well.
I could use this when I'm getting arrested for using illegal substances. They take me to a safe space where I can get high without worrying about incarceration* and inhumane treatment.