Complicated problem.
You and ed bring up some good points. I started reading a little about the ACLU and prisoners rights and the rights of mentally ill criminals. I had to stop. It's too frustrating.
Back to the homeless. I can't remember if I've every seen a ballot issue or a political platform that included the homeless. It seems to be a non-issue, something we accept and turn our eyes away from.
To stay on topic, is it a consequence of the competitive nature of capitalism or is poverty a global attribute of human nature?