Many people leap to help the homeless - especially during the holidays. They leave common sense aside in their rush to express compassion and help those less fortunate. They assume that the homeless are all poor people with hearts of gold who, if given a chance, would gladly return to a life of employment, taxes and a 9-5. Not so. It’s almost become politically incorrect to point out that many of the homeless people you see on the street are sexual predators, rapists, addicts, mentally ill and paroled criminals who will and do take advantage of other homeless people. They also attack, assault and hurt those housed people trying to help them. Many, maybe even most of those people on the street are not dangerous. But how do you tell? The same way you deal with any strangers - with time, caution and awareness.

In 2002 a woman and her male friend were assaulted by five homeless men who beat the couple before dragging the woman into the woods, beating and raping her for two hours before police and a canine search dog were able to find and rescue her. I’m going to assume this woman, her friend and everyone they know has no kind feelings for the homeless, and I don’t blame her. After reading that story I could even understand why people might be moved to kill homeless people.

In February this year an Air Force veteran told to move out of a shelter for being uncooperative in attending counseling sessions, returned with an ax and killed the female shelter director before police killed him. The director had a lifetime of helping the homeless.

In March two women in Dallas were assaulted and raped by a Lynn Denham, a homeless man who is a registered Oregon sex offender.

While there are numerous accounts of attacks on the homeless, there are many instances of attacks on people by the homeless. Many robberies, burglaries, assaults and senseless attacks on businesses and by-passers, are also perpetuated by the homeless. As in Redding, California when a landscaper reported homeless men breaking fences, windows and “flinging human crap” at him. Women at a market in the same area also reported homeless men reaching in their pants and throwing feces at them.

During this holiday season, don’t stuff your common sense in the closet. There are hundreds and thousands of homeless people who do need your help. But be aware that being homeless does not make you a saint either. If you’re feeling hesitant, it’s okay to give to churches, and shelters, or to organizations that regularly work with the homeless. If you wouldn’t ordinarily go out and invite a stranger into your home, then don’t do it just because they’re homeless either.

This holiday season DO help the homeless you see on the streets, but don’t leave common-sense and street smarts behind. If you don’t have street smarts, then just give to organizations that do work with the homeless. Don’t, as a female friend of mine wanted to do, go out into alleys and some dangerous areas of town, to distribute money cards to the homeless. You can help without putting your own life, or worse, that of your children if you take them with you, at risk.