The subject of homelessness and drug use is something I often see people in the Twin Falls community sounding off on when scrolling Facebook and other sites dedicated to local content. As far as the homeless folks are concerned, where is it they are supposed to go that would make those in southern Idaho that have roofs over their heads and multiple meals a day feel safer?

I may not be a mental health professional or someone qualified to speak on behalf of a person who has found themselves tangled in the unfortunate life ligature that is addiction, but I think the goal of most human beings when they reach an age where they can make decisions for themselves isn't to strive for an existence of vagrancy and drug or alcohol abuse. These individuals all have a story behind what ultimately resulted in their station in life, and often the lifestyle presented itself from the same type of problems that the rest of us are faced with but have found a way to narrowly avoid.

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Perhaps more than any other location in southern Idaho, Rock Creek Park in Twin Falls has a reputation for being a place infested with drugs and vagabondage. The park's name came up again in a recent comment chain on a local social media website. An area resident wrote about how a recent trip to the park turned out to be frightening due to the presence of needles and "bums." I've never liked the word "bum" when used to describe someone who doesn't have the luxury of a safe, warm shelter.

The individual also mentioned riding past one of the park's familiar caves and getting glares from a couple of homeless people. We all know the caves are where these people retreat to, so is it really that surprising or threatening when the homeless react to seeing us? There are plenty of areas in Rock Creek Park to walk a dog or get a jog in where the likelihood of crossing paths with a destitute person remains very low.

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