Jurisdictional Chess

Jurisdictions play a chess game in which they push their problems onto other jurisdictions.  It started years ago when dealing with dangerous dogs.  Judges would demand that dangerous dogs be removed from their jurisdiction without thought that they were pushing the problem onto another jurisdiction.  They could effectively solve the problem in their community by putting another community at risk.

I remember working in Jacksonville where our homeless population was growing because “Northern States” would give their homeless a bus ticket to Jacksonville; after all, wouldn’t the homeless enjoy the better weather in Florida?

Instead of dealing with our Country’s illegal immigrant problem, we are bussing them all over the country.  Texas is bussing them to Denver and Denver turns around and buses them to Salt Lake City.  Like dangerous dogs, no one wants them, so they are just passed to the next unsuspecting jurisdiction.

I feel bad that our profession played a hand in causing this mentality of not taking care of our own problems.