United Press International, 1/26/2008
Personally, I think that this is completely ridiculous and degrading to those who do live on the streets. I understand that the judge is trying to give a sentence that applies to the crime but what does living as homeless for one night do? The man who is being sentenced knows that he's going back to his bed the next day. He doesn't have to deal with trying to figure out how he's going to get a job or how he's going to eat. Why not sentence him to volunteer with the salvation army or make a donation to the organization? Those options would connect the punishment to the crime and would actually give back to the community. I don't get what the whole frenzy is around "living as homeless," I don't think that doing this for 24 hours really teaches anyone anything except that homelessness is a joke and a game.
A judge in Ohio sentenced a man convicted of stealing a Salvation Army kettle to live 24 hours as a homeless person.
Painesville Municipal Judge Michael Cicconetti gave Nathen Smith a choice -- serve a 90-day jail sentence, or live 24 hours as a homeless man and serve only three days in jail, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported.
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