Q&A of the Day – Why is Florida’s Panhandling Problem Becoming Worse & How Many are Phonies?
Each day I feature a listener question sent by one of these methods.
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Today’s Entry: Hi Brian, thanks for what you do! I’ve always enjoyed your analysis. I have a question about panhandlers. I’m one of those rare natives who has seen it all over the years. That includes a steady increase in panhandling. I’m certain it’s not just my imagination, or as you might say, a case of recency bias. Is there a specific reason behind this? Also, is there any info on how many of these people are phonies?
Bottom Line: You’re right, it’s not your imagination. There really are more people picking up signs, standing on the streets and pleading for your money. Personally, I find it fascinating how there are not only more panhandlers than ever before, but how there appears to be panhandler etiquette and planned rotation. If you keep a regular schedule that includes traveling near panhandling hotspots, you’ll often see the same panhandlers, who’ve turned this into their profession, but in different locations at different times. Also, notice how there’s only ever one panhandler at a particular spot at a time. This appears to be a well-oiled machine of a process for many. Of course, this isn’t to say that there aren’t those who are truly in need which take to the practice of panhandling, however it’s long been proven many aren’t legit and worse still, large percentages use the goodwill of others to purchase drugs and alcohol.
There are two examples of scammers that stand out in my mind. The first I recall was around thirty years ago when I still lived in Atlanta. There was a major bust of a Georgia Tech fraternity which had been panhandling and using the proceeds for drugs and alcohol. The other was right here in South Florida several years back when my wife and I watched a panhandler we’d seen on the regular put down his sign under an overpass (A sign which had been used for months at that point), walk into a nearby parking lot and drive off in a newer model Dodge Challenger SRT. There’s no doubt that many panhandlers are scammers. But to answer your first question. Why is there a proliferation of panhandling of late?
This was a topic of conversation as recently as early September when Lake Worth Beach became the latest South Florida city to rescind its panhandling ban. The city, like others which had similar bans in place, became the latest to change policy under the threat of legal challenges to the ordinances. The catalyst for all of this happened in 2020. As panhandling had been on the rise over the previous decade, the state’s policy to combat it had been as well. This included a law which stated any effort to “obstruct or impede traffic on Florida highways, streets or roads with the intention of soliciting” was illegal as a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 or up to 60 days in jail. With that in place many communities placed their own ordinances. This commonly occurred at the county and often municipal level as well. Anyway in 2020, a federal court struck down Florida’s law, citing a violation of the first amendment. Once the state law fell, activists targeted communities with ordinances in place. This led to Fort Lauderdale and Tampa having courts overturn their panhandling bans as well, with the federal court ruling being cited. After those occurrences most remaining communities with ordinances in place began to repeal them as opposed to incurring legal expenses to have to defend them in court (as was the case with Fort Lauderdale and Tampa). So yeah, there had been bans on panhandling in place throughout the state, which obviously never stopped it, but did mitigate it to a certain extent. And now we don’t. Word’s gotten around and thus the proliferation of panhandlers. And it’s proven to be highly lucrative.
Numerous studies have been conducted on panhandling including a national study published in the International Criminal Justice Review in 2020. In that study, the average panhandler pulled in $9 per hour. Certainly not huge money, but it’s tax free and easy. Closer to home, a 2020 investigative report by the Fort Myers NBC affiliate found South Florida panhandlers in prime locations were regularly pulling in $40 an hour! If we were to project that out across a typical 40-hour work week – we're talking over $83,000 per year tax free. But as for how many are scammers? That’s both subjective and nearly impossible to identify in part to the subjectivity.
For example, is a homeless person who regularly panhandles and doesn’t use the money for drugs or alcohol legit? I’d imagine most might say yes, however what if that person could obtain employment and exit homelessness but chooses not to? You get the idea about subjectivity. The best guidance on that note comes from law enforcement in my experience. Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw has long been a loud voice of reason on this topic in recommending that well intentioned people donate to charities that help the vulnerable as opposed to forking over cash to panhandlers. One, it’s not safe for the panhandlers or those in traffic navigating them. Two, as the Sherriff has previously observed, an average of two people die of drug overdoses on the streets of the county per day. They’re commonly panhandlers.