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Criminalizing Homelessness: The Carceral Continuum

Sat, Nov 16, 9:30 to 10:50am, Foothill C - 2nd Level

Abstract

The current homeless crisis has led to punitive welfare policies and research treating housing insecurity as both a social and crime problem. While the government invests more in shelter services, it also increases police outreach, blending penal approaches to persuade individuals into shelters. San Diego, with the fourth-largest homeless population in the US, implemented the Unsafe Camping Ordinance in June 2023, banning tents in public areas. Violators receive warnings, citations, and potentially arrests if they refuse shelter. Critics note the lack of shelter beds, making the ban untenable. Despite hundreds of citations, only one arrest occurred in the past year.

Interviewing 50 homeless individuals in San Diego revealed that those penalized faced barriers to housing, social services, and safety. They struggled to access vital documentation for shelter, food, and medical assistance, increasing vulnerability to violence while homeless. Notably, a third of the US's homeless population lives in California, with over 80% experiencing incarceration. This incarceration raises homelessness likelihood by 10%, highlighting housing's role in criminal justice involvement.

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