Criminalization Of Homelessness On The Rise
(WWJ) -- The criminalization of homelessness has been on the rise since early 2009 in a number of cities across the country.
A recent study by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty examined the state of citywide bans targeting the homeless population in 187 cities across the country.
The report cites these legislative bans as punishing homeless individuals for "being in public even when they have no other alternatives."
Citywide behavioral bans prohibit sleeping in public, begging in public, loitering, sitting or lying down in public spaces, food sharing and sleeping in vehicles, among other behaviors.
The NLCHP study insists on changes to the homelessness support system on all levels of the government as a more effective solution instead of criminalizing the homeless.
Earlier in July, about a dozen people who lived in campsites along railroad tracks in an Ann Arbor park were forced to relocate after authorities used bulldozers to clear the sites, destroying some tents in the removal process.
The Ann Arbor News reported that between 10 and 15 people were kicked out of Broadway Park by Michigan's transportation department and local police.
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