Alcoholic Control on Skid Row

Abstract

Though Skid Row is slowly on its way out, its residents continue to "clutter up the streets" and are still a major police, health, and welfare problem. A rescue service which would increase order and reduce helplessness is proposed. An Alcoholic Control Unit staffed by Skid Row alcoholics can patrol streets, mainly to remove sleeping drunks to its own quarters. It reduces police work, takes sick or injured men to a hospital, and allows acutely intoxicated men to sleep off their drunk at the Unit. The staff, all sober alcoholics, are paid for doing this hard and important work. During the three years of the suggested pilot program, a small research staff would make a before-and-after comparison to measure Unit effectiveness. If it is successful, costs for maintaining police, health, and welfare services should go down while public order should improve. Finally, employment at the Unit may initiate patterns of total abstinenre for a small but influential number of men.