Desiree Draper (MLA) Final Paper Walking around Energy Solutions Arena, after a game, you may notice

that there are many panhandlers. A panhandler is someone who begs in the streets; often times for money. This has been a problem around the streets of Salt Lake City since it was built. There have been many attempts to end panhandling, but it is still a problem within the community. Panhandling has plagued many societies throughout history, and very few have successfully ended the practice.1 As a community, we need to do what we can to reduce the amount of panhandlers on the street. The best solution to this problem is to limit the number of panhandlers, in Salt Lake City, by putting a law in place that distributes a certain amount of permits, which allows people to panhandle. Each city would choose how many permits they would give out and people that were interested would have to apply to panhandle. The law would include that any violators caught panhandling without a permit would receive a hefty fine or go straight to jail. This law would control how many panhandlers are on the streets and the areas they are begging at. In Salt Lake City, there are certain laws that panhandlers have to follow. According to the Salt Lake City laws, panhandlers are not allowed to be within 20 feet of a bus or train stop, ATM, sidewalk caf or dining area and many more public areas.2 Reducing the number of panhandlers will prevent them from gathering around after events because the permit includes limits on certain areas where begging is allowed. It is estimated that on a very slow day, a panhandler can earn at least $50 dollars and on

1 2

http://www.neoch.org/what-to-do-about-panhandling-i/ http://www.endpanhandling.com/panhandling-laws.php

the high end they are making around $300 dollars.3 Women, especially those with children, tend to make more money.4 When controlling who can beg for money, it controls where that money earned is going to be spent. According to researchers, about 44 percent of panhandlers use the money they earn for drugs and alcohol. They also found that 25 percent are alcoholics and 32 percent are addicted to drugs.5 Panhandlers would have to go through a little more work to get the permit, rather than just standing out on the street begging for money, and hopefully adding an application will filter out most of the addicts. Because the permit controls who is able to beg, as a community we have a better sense of knowing where our money will be going. Although some believe that panhandling is a bad idea, Attorney Brian Barnard does not. Barnard filed a lawsuit on behalf of three beggars that were fined in the Salt Lake Valley. He states that valet attendants, tax services, restaurants, oil and lube and other businesses that hire people to wave signs, including Salvation Army bell ringers, also violate the statute but police don't enforce the law against them.6 This shows that there is another level of panhandling that the community is not aware of; especially when it comes to the law. If this permit was passed it would not affect the other people that are working for companies holding signs. I believe giving out permits is the best solution because it gives the government a way to control how many people are out begging on the streets, and where they are allowed to beg. I also believe by doing this we are able to control the amount of money that is contributing to drugs in our society. Not many of the panhandlers that are out there today are going to want to jump through all the hoops and bounds to get their permit.

3 4

http://www.popcenter.org/problems/panhandling/ http://www.popcenter.org/problems/panhandling/print/ 5 http://sfist.com/2013/11/04/this_just_in_local_panhandlers_are.php 6 http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53726306-78/barnard-state-panhandling-money.html.csp

Bibliography
Downtown Alliance. Panhandling Laws in Utah. n.d. 25 November 2013. <http://www.endpanhandling.com/panhandling-laws.php >. Downtown SLC Alliance. End Panhandling. n.d. 20 November 2013. <https://www.downtownslc.org/community/end-panhandling>. Elston, Kate. How do panhandlers spend your money? 20 August 2007. 21 November 2013. <http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/How-do-panhandlers-spend-your-money1247218.php>. Garrett, Rose. This Just In: Local Panhandlers Are Not Getting Rich. 4 November 2013. 20 November 2013. < http://sfist.com/2013/11/04/this_just_in_local_panhandlers_are.php (Rose Garrett in News on Nov 4, 2013)>. NorthEast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. What to Do About Pan Handling in Cleveland? n.d. 24 November 2013. <http://www.neoch.org/what-to-do-about-panhandling-i>. Rogers, Melinda. Utah court: Panhandlers have constitutional right to beg. 16 March 2012. 25 November 2013. <http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53726306-78/barnard-state-panhandlingmoney.html.csp>. Scott, Micheal S. Panhandling. 2002. 12 November 2013. <http://www.popcenter.org/problems/panhandling/print/>. Vries, Karl De. A permit for panhandling? N.J. town wants to register beggars. 10 October 2013. 23 November 2013. <http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/10/permit-for-panhandling-njtown-wants-to-register-beggars/>.