I don't believe that pan handling is illegal unless the person is being disorderly, aggressive, obscene or indecent with regards to behavior or language. I do know in 2016 the city of Worcester lost a lawsuit that was brought upon them for trying to stop panhandling in their city. It was found to be a freedom of speech violation.

Of all the problems in this city, this is the one you want to fix above all else? Give me a break. Sorry you had to inderictly experience poverty for a moment.

Pretty much a daily occurrence in Medford at Wellington.

You can just keep ignoring it.

@Jacob yes there are mutiple things wrong in this city and a lot of them are going undressed! I am not oblivious to the world's poverty but to see it first hand in the city I was born, raised and continue to live in is a disgrace. Yes people can be down on their luck, homeless or jobless, but when you stop at a red light and there is a person holding a sign and begging for change at one of the busiest intersections in the city, it's makes you stop an think! Is this person really homeless or are they just sitting here waiting for a hand out and causing even more traffic at this intersection. We all know there is a large amount of them that aren't homeless or jobless but there are more productive ways to waste their and my time

What do you want to have happen? Get them roughed up by Medford's famously gentle police department? Just roll your windows up and don't make eye contact. Or I don't know, buy them some food.

I would never condone violence but wouldn't mind seeing them being forced to pan handle in other cities. Have them stand on the corner of route 16 and route 2 where there is one on every side of the street and every intersection! Or better yet put half of the energy and creativity in making those rediclouis signs into applying and looking for a job! Either way you and I aren't going to agree so leave my issue alone please.

I suggest that the fun has even really started yet. Just wait until the full effects of marijuana's legalization, along with the soon to open casino, and things should really start to get interesting around here.

If everyone acted as you do, asking their local policy to push the homeless out, where would they go?

If you want to do something about the problem, maybe lets work towards fully funding mental health care and homeless shelters. Get a job? Are you kidding? You can't just go "get a job" with a living wage here. You simply need to be born wealthy and have lots of opportunities and luck.

Escaping Poverty Requires Almost 20 Years With Nearly Nothing Going Wrong:
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/04/economic-inequality/524610/

Show a little compassion and I'll stop closing this cruel "issue."

Open

Grow up. They aren’t hurting anyone.

I disagree Jacob, and that's what grown up's are allowed to do, we can, and sometimes even should disagree, as it can be healthy to acknowledge different people come with different perspectives, However, whether we agree or not on any given issue we need to remain respectful of others opinions. I don't disagree with the notion that there is a segment of the population who struggles with poverty and in some cases homelessness, it likely has always been that way and unfortunately most likely isn't going to be rectified in our lifetimes. I don't care to have panhandlers roaming my city. You feel differently. But when I disagree with someone else's viewpoint I don't try and squash their dissenting opinion, rather I'd try to understand why they see things differently. In some areas panhandlers have been allowed to become the norm. In our approximate surrounding area this is most commonly seen in Cambridge at Freshpond/Rt.16/Mass. Ave.. In my experience at these locations I've not seen panhandlers cause anything much more than a minor traffic concern, however in other areas I travel the "culture" of the panhandlers has become much more aggressive. They exhibit behavior that can be frightening to some motorists. There are hundreds or thousands of reasons why someone falls on hard times, and we should be thankful for the fact that we are getting by. You appear very sympathetic to the situation that Panhandlers find themselves in, but I'm more sceptical of some who panhandle. Maybe it was a series of unfortunate events, something we could all be sympathetic about, or maybe it's a mental health issue, something the commonwealth of Massachusetts should be more sympathetic about, or perhaps it's a case of substance abuse that keeps them down or even that some of them are complete frauds and scam artists. I have certainly run into my share of scam artist panhandlers. Regardless, its one thing to express your views, which I respect, and another to try and suppress those puff others, even when they are in conflict with your own. Also even when you believe you hold the moral high ground. Open dialog, in the end, its what will educate people to your views or enlighten you to the perspectives that others have. We all bring in our own beliefs and experiences. Be mature yourself and stop closing the issue and instead allow a community to discuss a complex issue that effects all of us.

Open