Only time will tell if the murders of Brittany Zimmermann or Joel Marino had anything to do with Madison’s homeless and transient communities. In the meantime, skeptics will rightly wonder whether a witchhunt is afoot, whether the police are persecuting those who cannot defend themselves for lack of a concrete lead. But simmering beneath the surface is an uncomfortable reality: In recent months, the vagabonds of downtown have grown increasingly prevalent and aggressive. As a result, and independent of the ongoing homicide investigation, city authorities must act responsibly and discerningly to alter their lifestyles.

Those calling for change should not face derision for perceived insensitivity or arrogance, either. Open drug use, public drunkenness, theft and intimidation have become symptomatic with the panhandling population of the downtown area. To be sure, it is the responsibility of both the government and society at large to help those in need and to offer compassion when possible. But it is also the responsibility of those struggling to obey the law and respect their wealthier fellow citizens. There is an unacceptably large gulf between the haves and the have-nots in this city, but asking that those with money turn a blind eye to the objectionable actions of those without is not fair.

An array of factors has contributed to the large and growing number of homeless and transient men and women in Madison. The willingness of affluent students and businesses to give donations up and down State Street has certainly played a role. So too has the city’s position in relation to Milwaukee, Chicago and Minneapolis as a crossroads of sorts. But perhaps most important is a policy that allows dozens of panhandlers to set up shop in the most public of places, plying their trade without interruption. Obviously, nobody has been hurt by a request for money, but the resultant environment is less than ideal.

As the city has opened its arms to those on the bottom rung of capitalism’s ladder, it has failed to provide the support structures and control strategies necessary for the inevitable influx of people. Free beds available to the male homeless are sorely lacking, drug problems rage untreated, and mental illness is effectively ignored. Providing such services would not only help those looking for help, but would also reveal those who are not. Then, and only then, the police may justifiably find themselves at the tip of the spear.

A draconian crackdown that effectively outlaws homelessness would be unacceptable, but a concerted plan to curb harmful lawlessness is a must.