Framing

The LA Times ran a story three days ago (reprinted in today's Seattle Times) about a church-run program in Lancaster, California that gives homeless people a one-way bus ticket out of town. The story includes a few favorable quotes from homeless people who took bus tickets from the program, but makes it pretty clear that the real goal of the program is to make homeless folks someone else's problem. (Lancaster's mayor has even donated $10,000 to the program, saying the city has enough of its "own" homeless without having to deal with those from other cities). The headline the LA Times chose is descriptive but neutral: "Homeless in Lancaster get free tickets to go away."

So what headline did the Seattle Times go with? "To reduce homelessness, nonprofit offers free 1-way bus ticket out of town." It's a subtle difference, but important: As even some who support the program acknowledge, it's more likely to shift the burden of homelessness elsewhere than reduce it, because most homeless people don't have strong family support systems or good job prospects in other cities. (People who have those things are less likely to be homeless) The couple featured in the story, for example, just moved to California from Las Vegas last month, hoping job prospects would be better there. Mobility isn't their problem; getting jobs is. Now, they're taking a one-way trip to Denver, where one of them has a relative. Their goal? To get "a fresh start." Again.

Cross-posted.