ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Needless Intimidation

No one condones welfare fraud. The idea of anyone taking taxpayers’ money undeservedly is repugnant, whether it be by someone at the bottom of the economic ladder or a wealthy contractor looking for special favors from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

But is it really necessary to put all homeless welfare applicants without adequate identification through a criminal investigation by the Orange County district attorney’s office?

As Times writer David Lesher’s recent story pointed out, Orange County appears to be alone in the state in having district attorneys conduct these early welfare fraud investigations. Normally, these initial probes are conducted by social services employees who can be just as thorough but who do not carry the “law enforcement” label that can intimidate applicants.

County officials are proud of their investigation program. They say that nearly 80% of the 4,000 applicants who were subject to probes by district attorneys last year withdrew their applications.

But one must question whether these applicants withdrew because they were guilty of fraud and feared retribution, or simply because they were frightened by an overzealous enforcement system.

Advocates for the poor find this avid enforcement objectionable. As one attorney for a poverty law center put it, “Under the rubric of fraud detection, they’re scaring the hell out of people.”

Citing a case in which one mother of two was refused help because her husband had an outstanding traffic warrant, the Western Center for Law and the Legal Aid Society has filed suit protesting the automatic investigations.

Of course, screening is necessary. It would not do to give money to anyone who asked.

But investigations that scare away those legitimately in need are unconscionable. They are nothing to be proud of.