This is a true story. A 32-year-old man, disabled with severe mental illness, lost his Section 8 voucher and became homeless.

After months of street dwelling and no medication, he was robbed of his wallet and left without ID, EBT or a bus pass in the middle of town. Delusional and fearing for his life, he assaulted innocent strangers. When he was arrested he had a bag of all that he owned in the world with him. He served his jail time and was released early with two bus passes, but his bag had seemingly disappeared. He rode the bus to a shelter that turned him away because he didn’t have an ID. So he went to get his ID, but couldn’t until he paid the $390 in fines for jaywalking, sleeping in the park and smoking in public. Where does a homeless person just out of jail get that kind of money? This street sentence is forever.

I strongly support a triage system that will diagnose the mentally ill, and also screen for drug abuse. Let’s apply the new law to help those who can’t help themselves.

Candas Lee Rego

Kailua

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