Devils and details

It all reminds me of that old saying, "Even the devil can quote the bible."

The latest figures from Los Angeles show a decline in death rates (non-murder/suicide) on Skid Row. Today's LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-skidrow-deaths27-2009jan27,0,5779952.story) tells the story, with various camps offering explanations.

One side claims that services have expanded and improved: fewer people on the streets means fewer deaths.

Another side claims that police have amped up their efforts to drive the homeless away: fewer people on the streets (in LA) means fewer deaths (in LA).

Both can quote statistics to support their P.O.V. In the mean time, even ONE person homeless remains a travesty in the so-called "richest nation on earth."