Letting them beg is just enabling them to not find a real solution to their problems. The mentally ill, that's a different deal, but the bums? A combination of tough love and low tolerance for harassment and laziness (and lying. They have NO problem lying for money) is needed. It is exactly like feeding squirrels; feed one, and soon you'll be feeding many. Except squirrels don't mind working to improve their situation in life. Every society has people who just don't want to work, no matter what, and many of ours can be found on the 16th Street Mall.